The Exorcist of Dreams
by muffiekun
Summary: You've taken everything away from me. My family, my powers, and in place you've given me this damned Innocence. Allen, you may be a Noah now, but I swear, I will fix what you have broken. That is my promise as an exorcist. My promise, as Road Kamelot...
1. Prologue

**Hi there, I'm glad to see that you've clicked on my very first D. Gray-Man fic ever! No, seriously, I am glad. I absolutely love D. Gray-Man, but I couldn't think of a good idea until now.**

**This story is about how an event in the world of D. Gray-Man caused Allen and Road to switch places. I'm trying to make this as true to the original as possible, while adding an event that would never actually happen (or it might, if Hoshino-sensei wanted it to). So Road's still as sadistic as ever, even though she's now an exorcist.**

**Some mild AllenxLenalee, but I don't think it would really stand out unless Allen regained some of his sanity back.**

**Disclaimer****: D. Gray-Man belongs to Katsura Hoshino. And now onto the story!**

* * *

**Prologue: And So the World Ended**

_In…no…cence…_

Allen was lying on the ground breathing heavily. His cursed eye was zooming madly across his clockwork sockets. Blood tricked from his eye, and his left arm refused to activate.

_In…no…cence…_

Hundreds of Akuma were surrounding him. They were all of varying levels, level ones, twos, threes, and even a four. Allen was desperately trying to invocate his Innocence, but his synchronization rate was already dangerously close to zero.

_Give…us…the Innocence…_

"Damn it," Allen muttered, "Move, Innocence, _move_." All of the corrupt souls of the Akuma around him were calling to Allen, begging him to free them from their existence. However, their pleas only made Allen more desperate in activating his Innocence. "Clown Crown…_move_!"

A girlish laugh echoed from behind him. "Stop trying to activate your Innocence, Allen," Road said mischievously. She wrapped her arms around him. "After all, if you die before I'm finished playing with you, what fun would that be?"

Allen tried to fling Road off of him, but his injuries were to great and his synchronization rate too low for him to move. "Get off me, Road!"

"Chu," Road planted a kiss on Allen's lips. "Now Allen, I thought you were a gentleman? You should at least let me entertain you while you're still alive." She snapped her fingers.

Several Akuma self-destructed, their souls reaching out for Allen. _Save…me…exorcist…_

"Stop it, Road!" Allen cried out desperately. Road just laughed sadistically and snuggled into Allen even more. Several more Akuma detonated. "Damn it!" He tried once more to invocate his Innocence. "I have…I have to save them!"

"Eh, what's this?" Road tasted a liquid trickling down from Allen's face. "Ah, now this is something I've never tasted. Blood-soaked tears." She licked some more of Allen's blood off her finger. "Now this tastes wonderful, Allen. But I'm wondering, why do you care about these Akuma so much, after all, they're only weapons."

_Please…help me…exorcist._

More tears escaped Allen's eyes as he watched the souls of the Akuma in front of him wither away to oblivion. "I have…to save them…" Allen said weakly, the strain of what's happening becoming too much, "I promised…Mana…"

"Mana?" Road scratched her head. "Oh yeah, I heard of that guy from ol' Millenie!" She clapped her hands in delight and giggled as more Akuma self-destructed. "I don't see why you love that Mana guy so much, he wasn't even your real father. Plus, he gave you that curse that's causing you so much pain right now!"

_Why…why aren't you saving us…exorcist…_

"I want to but…"

Road frowned. "You want to what? Were you talking to the Akuma or something?" Road sighed. "Do you even care about you're friends at all? After all they're dying right now trying to save you, and all you can think about is the Akuma. How am I supposed to enjoy more of your suffering if you won't even try to care about your friends? Well you know what I say about that?" All of the Akuma detonated at once. "Who needs the Akuma?"

_Why couldn't you have been stronger…exorcist…_

"Gaaaahahhhhhhhhh!!" Allen's cursed eye suddenly went haywire. It twitched in all directions, even more blood flowing out of it due to all the agony Allen saw at once. The voices of the Akuma echoed in his head, driving him to the brink of insanity. "I'm sorry!" Allen yelled desperately, "Please…leave me alone!"

_Why couldn't you have been stronger…Allen…_

"Please…just kill me!" Allen cried to the heavens, "Kill me now! If it'll atone for those Akuma, then take my life! Please…"

Road grinned evilly at Allen. "That's even better than I thought it would be."

Suddenly, Allen's Innocence activated, but it wasn't in the refined form of his Clown Crown, but the rough, undefined formed his Innocence first had. Road backed away from Allen as he tried to swipe at her with his claw. "I'll kill you…"

"Eh, what was that Allen?" Road asked musically.

"I'll kill you! I'll kill you for doing that to those Akuma!" He tried to swipe again at Road, but she was too fast for him.

"You really hate me, don't you?" Road asked him. "You hate me enough that you're trying to kill me, even though I'm still a human."

Allen swiped madly at Road, but she was too swift for him. "You're not human," Allen said as he was swiping at Road. "No human can be that cruel! You're nothing but a demon!"

"You can't possibly be trying to group me with those worthless Akuma, can you?" She conjured a few candles and sent them flying towards Allen. He tried to swat them away, when he suddenly fell to the ground.

"Why?" Allen said to himself, "Why do I feel so weak all of a sudden?"

Road laughed. "That's what you get for trying to fight while your synchronization rate is half-past zero! I _could_ just kill you now. But what fun would that be? Maybe if your friends got past Tyki, then maybe I could kill your friends in front of you one by one!" She smiled at the thought. "Of course, if only one of your friends could get this far, I hope it's Lenalee!" Allen's arm twitched at the mention of her name. "After, all, I'm pretty sure you like Lenalee a lot. And if I kill the one you love most in front of your eyes, it would surely crush you to bits!" A small cross appeared on Allen's forehead. "Then after I kill her, I'll kill that Lavi guy, then that sword guy, or that vampire, or that clock lady!" She licked her lips at the thought.

_Why can't I fight?_ Allen thought to himself. _Why won't my Innocence work?_ He saw Road lick her lips. _I have to kill her, otherwise more Akuma will…_ Allen felt sick at the thought. _And my friends too. Lavi, Kanda, Krory, Miranda…Lenalee…_ He remembered what happened between the two of them before the battle. Another cross appeared on his forehead. _I have to defeat Road, if I can ever get a chance to apologize to Lenalee. But to do that, I need power._ A dark shadow appeared in his mind, along with a new cross on his forehead. _I don't care where it comes from, I just need enough power to destroy Road…to make her pay for those Akuma…_ The shadow grinned upon hearing Allen's thoughts. _Power…I need…power…_

The shadow spoke. _Would you like to use my power, Allen the fourteenth?_

A brilliant light surrounded Allen, healing his injuries. "Eh, what's going on, Allen?" Road asked him. Allen's left arm started to crack, the Innocence within crumbling. "Are you turning into a Fallen One, Allen?" Road asked. "I didn't think you were the type!"

Suddenly, Allen's arm was enveloped by a dark light, and his Innocence faded away. But in its place, a silver arm with runic markings appeared. What was left of Allen's Innocence floated through the air, as if it was nothing but dust. A mask materialized over Allen's left eye, covering the curse Mana had left, and a few more crosses appeared on his head. When the light left, Allen looked like he did when Clown Crown was invoked, however, his cloak was black, along with his hair.

Allen the Exorcist had died.

Allen the Noah was born.

By this point, Road was actually scared. Her body was trembling in fear at the new Allen. Allen smiled at her. "Are you afraid, Roadie?"

Road shot an angry look at Allen. "What are you talking about? _Me_, afraid of _you_? Th-that's ridiculous."

Allen just smiled sweetly at Road. "Then would you like to hear my Song?"

And so, the world ended.


	2. The 1st Memory

**Konichiwa, reader peoples! I just wanna thank all you people who took the time to review, and to a lesser extent thank the ones who faved and alerted this story **_**without**_** reviewing. I actually didn't think so many people would react to this story as quickly as they did, because I usually don't get anyone to read my fics. Maybe it's because I said Road's an exorcist, which would be the last thing anyone would expect Road to be. (Or maybe the people at the D. Gray-Man archives are just nicer…) And for those who take the time to review, I hope you won't mind taking a little more time to write longer reviews so I can give more fluid replies other than just saying thanks. You don't have to though, it would just make me feel better.**

**For now, this story will follow the manga, which means it will follow to the point Road gets to the Black Order, then the manga tie-in suddenly falls apart. So we get to see Moa, Jean, and Leo (the latter two will be seen later). Sorry Allen fans, but you might not see him until possibly the Rewinding Town arc. But don't worry, I'm probably gonna skip the Old Man of the Earth and the Aria of the Night Sky thing. After that…I have no idea.**

**Disclaimer****: D. Gray-Man belongs to Katsura Hoshino, but maybe I'll steal it one day…kidding!**

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**The 1****st**** Memory: Opening**

_At the end of a fictional nineteenth century, a young girl was found unconscious with no memory of how she arrived…_

Officer Moa stood in front of the old church, her partner Charles cowering behind her. "Hey, Moa, are we really gonna go inside this church? I mean, isn't the reason a countless number of travelers disappeared because it's cursed or something from an incident two years ago?"

Moa sighed at her partner's cowardice. "The reason we're investigating this church is _because_ people are disappearing, besides, you know I don't believe in stuff like curses. It's probably just somebody playing a horrid joke all this time, no reason to be scared."

"B-but what if the curse _is_ real?"

Moa shook her head. "What kind of police officer are you, Charles? I can't believe you'd be afraid to enter a church just because you _think_ it might be cursed. But if you want to stay here and wait, I guess when I'm done I could just write in the report saying you were too afraid to enter a silly old church…"

Charles instantly leapt up. "What are you talking about, Moa? Me, a-afraid?" He laughed nervously. "Th-that's ridiculous!"

"Then you'd better catch up," Moa called from inside the church.

"Y-yes, of course!" He ran to catch up with Moa. "Right behind you, officer!" Once he caught up to Moa, he noticed his surroundings. "Uwah, it's falling into ruins!"

"I wonder if travelers really do stay here…" Moa commented off-handedly.

"GYAA!!" Charles screamed.

"What is it?" Moa asked, concerned about her partner.

"M-my leg." He stuttered.

Moa knelt down and picked up what was on Charles's leg. She laughed. "Are you serious, Charles? Were you really scared of a _cat_?"

"I was only startled." Charles muttered, embarrassed. "You'd scream like that too if you were me."

"Thankfully, I'm not."

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a loud moaning could be heard. "Wh-what's that?" Charles stuttered. "A ghost?"

Moa got out her gun and backed up against the wall "Stay here Charles, I'm going to investigate the source of that noise." She walked off in the direction of the moaning.

"F-fine with me, I don't want to see some scary ol' ghost."

Officer Moa crept cautiously against the wall, keeping an eye out for anything suspicious. Another moan was heard, and now that Moa was closer, she can hear that it was a girl moaning. Moa quickly pinpointed the room the moaning was coming from, and kicked open the door. She was greeted by the sight of a small girl lying unconscious on the ground with various wounds. Moa put her gun away and knelt beside her. "Hey, are you okay? Who did this to you?"

"Al…len…"

"Allen?" Moa repeated. "Is that the name of the man who did this to you?"

All of a sudden, the girl opened her eyes and crawled away from Moa. "Wh-where am I?" She grasped her forehead. "Argh…that song…I can't get it out of my head!" She spotted Moa. "Hey you, human, do you know where the hell I am!?"

"Human?" Moa asked, confused. "What are you talking about?"

"Ah, I guess I must've slipped out of my Noah form somehow." The girl muttered.

"Noah? Exactly who are you?"

The girl grinned evilly. "My name is Road, not that it'd matter since I'm gonna ki-"

"GYAHHHHHH!!" The sounds of several bullets being shot echoed through the building.

Moa turned back to where she left Charles. "Stay here!" She said to Road. She ran to find Charles. "It came from downstairs." When she got to the first floor, she froze at the sight that greeted her.

Charles was tied to a pillar with one huge bullet hole in his stomach. His face was etched into a scream when a pentacle popped onto his face. "Ch-Charles?" More pentacles appeared on his face, and soon enough, all that was left of his face was covered in black. Then in the blink of an eye, Charles crumbled into dust. "This…this can't be…" Moa slowly walked to where Charles was tied up. "Could it be that the rumors were true?"

"I wouldn't walk any closer if I were you." Road walked past Moa. "The gas that emits from the corpse is toxic, and if you were to die like that, I wouldn't be able to have any fun." She walked into the gas.

"Wh-what killed him?" Moa asked.

Road grinned. "An Akuma killed him, duh. And that Akuma will be my ride h-" Road fell to the ground. "What's…what's this pain?" She coughed. "Why is the gas…affecting _me_?" Road fell back into unconsciousness.

--

When Road finally came to, she was inside a small room. To her surprise, she was handcuffed to the chair she was sitting in, and in front of her was a chubby man yelling at Moa.

"What do you mean you didn't see what killed Charles!?" he yelled at Moa.

"As I've told you a thousand times," Moa argued, "My top priority was to bring this unconscious girl to safety."

"But you could at least have a clue as to what might've killed him!" Moa bit her lip, thinking of what Road had told her. "See, you do have an idea of the killer!"

"Would you two shut up already!?" the two officers turned to see a very conscious, and very pissed off Road. "I was having such the nicest nap when your loud voice woke me up!"

The chief's face flushed red. "What kind of young lady would say such rude thing to adults?"

"This kid, fatty!"

The chief's face turned even redder. "So vulgar! If you weren't so obviously incapable of the crime, I would have you accused for Officer Charles's murder!"

"So you're saying I can't kill a simple man?" Road giggled. "Well, even though it was an Akuma that killed that guy, I'll prove to you that I can kill a simple _human_." Road pointed her arm and tried to use her telepathy to pick up a gun on a far table and have it shoot the police. "Starting with you, fatty!"

Road tried to get the gun to fire, but nothing happened. "Wh-what?" Road said, obviously shocked. "Why didn't it work?"

The chief grabbed Road's outstretched arm. "What is wrong with you young lady? I must have a word to your parents about your sadistic attitude! Eh?" He noticed something embedded in Road's hand. "Wh-what is that?" There was a cross that was embedded in Road's hand. "Just what are you trying to pull!? It must be painful to have a cross embedded in your skin! Are you mad or something!? You should take better care of the body your parents gave you!"

Road pulled her arm away from the chief. "What are you talking about? There's no damned cross in my-" she spotted the cross. Instantly, a look of fear and disgust appeared on her face. "N-no way. This can't be! This cross…it looks exactly like Allen's. But…that would mean I have…inside of me…" Bile rose in her throat.

"_Innocence_."


	3. The 2nd Memory

**Wow, three chapters in three days. That's a record for me. As always, thanks for all the people who read and review this story, as well as the ones who've favorited this story. The next chapter will be coming at some random interval of time, probably when I feel like it, so look out for that one!**

**And to those people who've read chapter 167, I'm telling you that I'll probably work it into the plot somehow. Just remember, Allen might be kinda evil, but Allen's still Allen!**

**P.S. I hope nobody gets bored with some of the copied script from the manga and anime…**

**Disclaimer****: D. Gray-Man is owned by Katsura Hoshino, but if I owned it, it probably wouldn't be as popular.**

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**The 2****nd**** Memory: Innocent Innocence**

Road stared in shock at the cross embedded in her hand. Her eyes were wide in disbelief and horror, and her body was trembling. _T-this can't be!_ Road thought. _Innocence…how the hell can Innocence reside within me? I'm a Noah, right? Shouldn't that mean it's impossible for an Innocence shard to be inside of me?_ She covered the cross with her other hand. _Yeah…it's impossible for me to have Innocence. It's…it's not even there. Allen must've turned my abilities against me somehow, showing me what would never happen…_

"You hear that, Allen!?" Road shouted to the sky. "Your stupid plan won't work against me! After all, there's no freakin' way I can have Innocence!"

"…does this girl have problems?" The chief asked Moa. "Maybe we _should_ suspect her for Charles's murder, she seems unstable enough to murder somebody."

Road turned to the chief. "Damn straight I can murder somebody!" she yelled. "Especially if that somebody's a pathetic bastard like you!"

The chief slammed his hands onto the table. "That's it young lady, I'm officially holding you responsible for the murder of Officer Charles!"

"Ah, um, excuse me," Moa interrupted, "But even if this girl's a little unstable, she was with me when the incident occurred."

"What!?" The chief exclaimed.

Another officer went behind him and whispered in his ear. "Inspector, at the scene of the crime there were remains of rather large firearms and obvious bullet holes. However, this girl has nothing but the clothes on her back." The chief bit on his cigarette. "And presently, the firearms that were found at the church have not been taken."

The chief stood up, his face beet red. "Why didn't you pay more attention to the crime scene, Officer Moa Hesse!?"

"I-I'm very sorry sir," Moa said softly.

"Standing firm with guts, huh?" The chief flopped back into the chair. "You should at least try to see the criminal when you're at the crime scene!"

"I know the criminal." Road interrupted. The two officers turned to the girl. "I didn't see it but I know what it is. The criminal is an Akuma." Road grinned. "The more it kills, the stronger it'll become, so that means it will continue to kill more and more." She licked her lips. "And it won't stop until it kills each and every one of you." She sighed. "Of course, if an exorcist with his Anti-Akuma Weapon came in, then maybe you'd have a chance to survive. But of course the chances of that happening anytime soon are 1 in 1,000. So, I guess that means I get to watch all of you die…"

--

"Have you heard," A woman said to her friend as a strange looking man walked by, "A police officer got killed inside of that church. Under awful conditions too, it seems."

"So that rumor was true…" Her friend replied, "The church _is_ possessed, just like with Pastor Mark."

"Eh? What's that about?"

"Well, I don't want to gossip but…" She sighed. "Two years ago, on the day of their marriage, a clergy couple faced a horrible accident at this church."

In the house across from the church, a frail man sitting in a wheelchair breathed mist out of his mouth. "Fufufu…" a voice said as the mist thickened, "Everyone around here is frightened. :3 And it's all thanks to you, my wonderful Akuma. :3" The Millennium Earl grinned. "Kill more and more so you'll continue to evolve! :3 :3"

"Mark?" a voice called out, "I'm home, Mark. How are you feeling?" The Millennium Earl slinked back into the shadows as Moa entered the room.

"Welcome home, Moa," The frail man said, "You're home early today."

Moa smiled. She spotted a full plate of food on the table beside Mark. "Ah, you haven't eaten your meal again?" She sighed as she picked up the food. "Mark, you haven't been eating at all lately. That's no good at all, you need to eat healthily if you want your body to get better again."

Mark let out a weak breath. "I'm full." Moa turned to face Mark. "Sorry…but I'll probably die soon anyway…"

Moa put her hands on his lap. "You need to take care of yourself, Mark, and try to get better. I'm sure that my sister in heaven wishes that as well."

"GODDAMMIT!" A voice screeched, followed by the sounds of falling objects.

"Is there someone else here?" Mark asked weakly.

Moa laughed nervously. "Well, about that, Mark…"

Road was lying on the floor, her hands tied to the arm of an upturned chair. A bunch of broken dishes and silverware were around her, too. Moa grabbed Road by the scruff of her neck. "What are you doing!?" Moa yelled, "I thought I told you not to get out of that chair!"

"It wouldn't have been so loud if you didn't handcuff me to it!" Road screeched back.

"You were trying to escape, weren't you!?"

"Well, duh!"

"NO!"

_Flashback…_

"Exorcists? Akuma?" the chief said disbelievingly, "What the heck are those? Well whatever." He flapped his hand at Moa and Road. "Officer Moa, I'm putting you on reserve. I'll return to the crime scene. Officer Moa, you'll watch over this suspect at your house." He left the two of them with looks of shock on their faces.

_End flashback…_

_In other words,_ Moa thought to herself, _we were placed under house arrest._

Road stared at the church. _Stupid humans,_ she thought, _I hope that Akuma kills all of them. Stupid Allen, not letting me use my powers in this stupid dream world…_

"Hey Road," Moa asked, "Do you really believe the criminal is a demon?"

"Wha?"

"After all," Moa continued, "Things like demons are fantasy creatures created from fear. They were what people in the old days used to explain stuff like illnesses and natural disasters with." She stared off into space. "They can't be brought to life by just thoughts and words. And I don't believe in things like curses and demons. In fact…I hate those things."

Road sighed. "Stupid human, do I really have to explain this to you?"

"Eh?"

"Might as well, since I'm extremely bored here. The Akuma I was talking about isn't something as dumb as that, 'Akuma' is the name of a weapon. An Akuma is a weapon made to destroy mankind. That's the Akuma I'm talking about." Road grinned. "They usually take the form of an idiotic human, making it hard for other humans to tell them apart but…"

A door slammed open. Mark rolled his wheelchair into the room, his breathing extremely erratic. Moa ran to his side. "Mark, what's wrong?"

Road cocked her head at Mark. "Who's that?"

"I'm…I am…hungry…" His skin tightened. "Let me kill you."

"Eh?" Mark's skin suddenly burst, with several mechanical tubes sticking out of his body. Black blood seeped from his eyes as his skin eroded and he got wider and more menacing. Moa watched in horror as a pentacle appeared on his forehead, signifying the complete transformation of an Akuma. "Mark…" Moa stared at what was left of her brother. "What is this?"

Road smiled evilly. "You're dead, silly hum- eh!?"

The Akuma fired its bullets randomly in all directions, destroying the foundations of the house. A single figure could be seen thrown out of the building and crashing into the church across the street. The police squad investigating the church flinched at the sound of the impact.

"What?" Moa said, shocked. "The church? But how?" She noticed Road crouched in front of her, blood spouting from her front. "Road? You…saved me? But why? How?"

Road coughed out some blood. "Don't think I did it for you, stupid human." She said angrily. "My body just moved by itself somehow. Don't think for one second that I did it for y-" she coughed some more blood out.

Moa saw the bullet protruding from Road's chest. "The bullet…you stopped a bullet to save me?" She reached out to touch it.

"If you touch it you die," Road told her, "The blood bullet from an Akuma has a virus that rapidly spreads throughout the body and smashes it." She removed the bullet from her chest. "But since I'm a Noah, I don't have to worry about th-" Road fell to the floor. "What the…this pain, it-it can't be!" A pentacle appeared on her skin. "B-but I'm a Noah! I'm-I'm a superhuman, one of the few chosen by God himself! I shouldn't be affected by an Akuma's bullet!" More pentacles appeared.

Moa reached out to Road. "Road, that virus, it's-"

"Stay away from me!" Road shouted. "Get your filthy human hands away!" She clutched her body. "That damn Allen…what the hell are you trying to pull!?" Road felt the virus inside her body, already eating away at her insides. "No, I won't let something as stupid as an Akuma kill me, I can't…" Her entire body was covered by pentacles. "DAMMIT ALLEN!!" She screamed, "GIVE ME MY POWERS BACK!!"

Without warning, the virus inside of Road was suddenly purified. "Eh?" Road said, startled. "Was it really as easy as-ugh-" Road clutched her left eye. "What's…what's happening…" Blood seeped from her eye. Allen appeared in front of Road, smiling. "You bastard…" Road said to him, "What are you doing to me!?" Allen just smiled sweetly, and put his hand over her eye.

"Suffer my world of black and white."

The pain from Road's left eye receded, yet blood was still flowing from it. Road removed her hand from her eye, wiping the blood off of it. "What the hell's going on?"

"Road…" Moa pointed at her. "Your eye…"

Road cocked her head. "What about it?"

"A…a pentacle…"

The Akuma suddenly burst through the roof, followed by the police running in to see it. "Wh-what the hell is that!?" The chief shouted. "I don't know what it is but it looks evil, shoot it!" The police started shooting at the Akuma, their bullets having no effect.

"It won't work you know," Road said, not spotting the Akuma yet.

The Akuma shot multiple times at the police, and in seconds, the virus spread throughout their bodies and forced them to disintegrate.

"Why…" Moa said. "Why Mark! Why are you killing innocent people!?"

"Stop trying to plead with it," Road commented nonchalantly, "Those guys were gonna die someday anyway. Besides, it's only a…" She saw the Akuma. "A weapon…" She stared in horror at the Akuma. "Wh-what is that…?"

_Help me…_

Road clutched her left eye.

_Help me…please…_

"Aaaaauuuuuuughhhhhhh!!" Road scurried away from the Akuma. "Get away from me! Get away from me, you disgusting…_thing_!"

_Please…_

"I-it's horrible…so…_disgusting_…is this what Allen sees?" A skeletal figure reached out for Road. "Is this…_the soul of the Akuma!?_"

"What do you see?" Moa asked, "What do you see inside of Mark?"

"Mark?" Road said with a shaky voice. "Mark died a long time ago. There's only this…_thing_ dressed like a nun or something behind it…it probably took his skin and wore it around…"

"You mean…Mark's been dead this whole time? You mean…that thing just a weapon!?

"No…" Road explained weakly. "An Akuma is a living weapon made by a deceased soul…that woman inside that Akuma was…probably somebody who had a deep bond with that Mark guy…and the combination of a 'machine,' a 'soul,' and 'tragedy,' an Akuma is made. A tragedy that befell Mark probably caught the attention of the maker…" Road coughed. "Wished I was there to see it…"

"A…a tragedy?"

--

"Congratulations, Sister Claire."

Claire smiled. "Thank you, Moa."

_To my sister and I, who lost our parents early on, the one who always encouraged us and saved us was Pastor Mark. When my sister fell in love with him and got engaged, she seemed so very happy. Then, on the wedding day…_

"You had a fight with Moa?" Mark asked her as they were taking their vows.

Claire nodded. "I'm against her wanting to become a police officer, wanting to capture the person who killed our mother and father." A tear escaped her eyes. "God is so unfair. I lived wishing only for her happiness, throwing away the hatred in her heart. But for Moa to be pointed towards that sort of road…"

"Claire," Mark interrupted, "Believe in God. Moa doesn't want to become a police officer for the sake of revenge. It seems more like she wants to protect us so that we will live in happiness forever. After all, she's a child raised by you and God, isn't she?" He smiled at her. "Let's believe in Moa's feelings, and in God's divine protection. God will not betray those who believe in him."

Moa smiled. "You're right." _Snap_. "I do believe."

"…Claire!" Mark screamed, "Why God…Claire…Claire…Claire!!"

_That incident…when the cross hanging from the ceiling fell onto Claire…was that what created a darkness in Mark's heart?_

"God has snatched my wife away from me!" Mark cried brandishing an axe. "How could you do such a thing!? Curse you!!"

"Yeah," Road commented, "When a pastor curses God, that usually does it. The Duke Millennium probably appeared then, and that idiot called your sister's soul back. That's when she killed him and put on his skin."

"So you're saying…that's my sister Claire!?" Moa cried.

"Yeah…and the sight of her disgusts me." Road stood up. "I don't care what I have to do to get rid of the sight of it but…even though I have to do this…I still end up disgusted either way."

"W-what are you talking about?" Moa asked.

"Innocence that's within me whether I like it or not…" A sharpened candle materialized from the cross in her hand. "Get this pitiful Akuma…" She threw the candle into the Akuma. "Outta my sight!" The Akuma exploded and the soul inside of it regained itself.

_Thank…you…_

"Whatever," Road muttered.

"I wonder if…" Moa started, "I wonder if they've gone to where God is…to heaven…Mark and Claire."

"Who knows?" Road started walking away.

"Wait," Moa called after her, "Where are you going?"

"…The Millennium Earl, that's who makes the Akuma, and the one enacting the scenario of mankind's demise. I'm going to find him."

"But why?" Moa asked.

"Because…" Road grinned, "Duke Millennium's like a father to me."

And with those words, Road left the distraught Moa with nothing but the memory of the Akuma, and the memory of Road's last grin.


	4. The 3rd Memory

**I'm back to my normal schedule! Which is not doing back-to-back updates. Yeah, I know that's not really a good thing but…I have no excuses. I wanted to write more for this chapter but I'm splitting it because it was already past my normal chapter length, and I don't want you people calling my normal chapter length short.**

**As always, thanks for all the reviews I've been getting for this story, and all the favs and alerts. This is by far my most popular story, and I'm happy for all the wonderful people who read and the ones who take the extra time to review. If I didn't reply to your review last chapter, I'm going to go back to replying to all my reviews again with this chapter.**

**To explain the first part of this chapter, it's part of an idea I've been playing with in my head that happened before this story started. It involves Road losing her Noah powers and also her memory. And it might have RoadxAllen. So if I ever write a prelude for this story, it'll probably include that part.**

**And I use the word weird a lot on purpose, and I replaced the Millennium Earl's hearts with these :3**

**Is that it? Yeah, I think that's it...**

**The disclaimer that ends this long author's note****: D. Gray-Man belongs to you-know-who. Not Voldemort, but the **_**other**_** you-know-who. You know, Hoshino Katsura.**

* * *

**The 3****rd**** Memory: The Night of Broken Memories**

"_Allen…if I was human, I mean a true human, do you think…do you think they could ever forgive me?"_

_Allen smiled. "Why wouldn't they forgive you? I would."_

_I laughed bitterly. "But you're Allen, you're willing to forgive anybody. But the other exorcists…I've killed so many of their comrades. If they had any sanity at all, they'd kill me the moment they saw me."_

"_Lenalee wouldn't. Lavi wouldn't. Kanda maybe, but the others would give you a chance."_

"_How can you be so sure?" I asked._

"_Because," He patted my head, "I'm Allen."_

_I threw my arms around him, tears spilling out of my eyes. "Oh Allen, I'm sorry…sorry for doing all of those things. I promise I won't hurt any of you anymore." I stared into his eyes and moved my lips closer to his._

_Allen closed his eyes. "Don't promise things you can't keep. The drug will wear off eventually." His left arm twitched._

_I stopped just short of his lips. "You still hate me, don't you?"_

"_What makes you think that? I just pointed out that Komui's drug will wear off soon, and you'll be back to your old self." His arm twitched again._

"_You didn't have to say that," I said, anger rising within me, "You could've told me that you could get Komui to create a new drug that'll keep me from going back."_

_Allen smiled sadly. "But Komui created the drug by accident, and even if he somehow created it again, your body already built up enough natural resistance to be immune to the effects."_

_I slapped him. "But you could still say I don't have to revert to a Noah again. You could say you love me!" My skin darkened._

_Allen activated his Innocence. "But I don't love you, Road. I still hate you." He dove straight at me. "Clown Belt!" Allen's attack came within inches of my face as I flipped back to dodge it._

"_I knew it…" Thousands of candles materialized around me. "Well guess what, Allen," I sent the candles flying towards him. "I hate you too!"_

"_Cross Grave!" Thousands of crosses appeared to counter my thousands of candles. The impact of the blows created an enormous explosion, causing smoke to fill the area._

_I opened up a door. "I'm going back to the Earl, Allen. And next time I see you, I'm going to pay you back for this."_

"_I'll be waiting, Road."_

--

Road yawned as she woke up in the back of a carriage. She unwrapped one of the giant lollipops she was saving and started licking it. _I'm so bored, _Road thought. _It's been a week since I was thrust into this fake world by Allen, and I still haven't been able to contact the Earl yet._ She stared at the cross in her left hand. _And to top it all off, Allen's made me think I have Innocence. Not that I really think this is Innocence but…I can't even use my own powers without an Akuma around. And when there _is_ an Akuma…_ She thought about the past three incidents where she ran into Akuma. _There was that one in the church…and that one that attacked this carriage…and the one at the candy shop… _She stared guiltily at the lollipop she was licking. _I suppose it's my fault for killing them right away. I always had a bad habit of destroying things that really pissed me off. _She lightly touched the pentacle over her left eye. _I wonder how you give someone the ability to see the Akuma's spirits…_

"_Suffer my world of black and white."_

Road bit off a corner of her lollipop angrily. "Dammit Allen!" She called out to the sky, "I'm not gonna lose this game of yours, ya hear!?"

"Who's this Allen you're talking about?" A strange looking chubby clown asked from the inside of the carriage.

A strange looking bunny lady pushed the other lady out of the way. "And what kind of game are you talking about?"

A sweatdrop appeared on Road's forehead. "Eh…" _Come to think of it, I don't even know if these two are even human!_

"IT'S AN AKUMA!!" A voice called out, "It's an Akuma, we're all gonna be killed!"

"Uh, thanks for the ride!" Road jumped off and ran towards the source of the voice. _Finally, I can see Duke Millennium again!_ "Oy, where's the…" She stopped short as she saw a crowd of calm people. "…Akuma?"

"Hmph," A bald man said, "There's no demon here." He hit the head of a small child. "Just look at that, Jean, some strange came running because you said we'd all be killed!" He turned to Road. "Sorry about that, it's just one of his practical jokes. He's just playing around, trying to scare us adults by yelling that there's demons and whatnot around."

"I'm not playing around, stupid!" The boy named Jean said, "There's seriously an Akuma here! My dad told me they're trying to invade our world bit by bit!"

"Yeah, yeah, look, here's some candy."

"Stop treating me like a little kid!" Road bit her lip as Jean pulled out a dirty looking man. "I'm telling the truth! Just now, this homeless man was killed right here by some tough guy wearing a hat! And then he put the Akuma skeleton inside of his body…"

The homeless man put his arm around Jean's mouth. "Don't worry, nothing's going on here. He pestered me into playing with him, and when I started winning he got annoyed and…"

The crowd started walking away. "I knew it," one of the people said, "Next time you cause trouble, we won't even bother to come check it out, Jean!"

"Alone at last…" The homeless man's eyes widened as a pentacle appeared on his forehead. Jean tried to break free. "It's no use, kid, you're de-"

Road stuck a candle through the back of his head. "Aw crap, I really need some self-control." The Akuma exploded. "Your name is Jean, right?" Road asked. "You wouldn't happen to know if there's any more Akuma around here, do you?"

"Kyaaaaaa!" Jean smashed into Road, knocking her down. "You're an exorcist, aren't you!? It's the first time I've seen one! Was that your Anti-Akuma weapon back there!?"

Road pushed Jean off of her. "Listen to me, kid, don't you _dare_ call me an exorcist ever again!"

Jean was already skating away, "Come with me, I've always wanted to talk to an honest-to-goodness exorcist!"

"Did you even hear a word that I said!?" Road got up and quickly caught up to Jean. "How do you even know about the Akuma anyway?"

Jean turned to Road. "You see, my dad's a scientist for the Black Order. But he's always away from home working, and to kill time, I read his research material and found out about the Akuma! My dream right now is to become a famous scientist and create a weapon that will destroy the Akuma all over the world in an instant! But even so…" He looked at Road. "I didn't know exorcists could be such little girls like you."

"L-little!?" Road shouted. "Listen you sexist bastard, do you want to die!?"

"I always thought that exorcists would be muscular looking guys," Jean went on, ignoring Road, "But you're the direct opposite. By the way, how many Akuma have you destroyed by now? How did it feel when you destroyed your first Akuma? How did you get your Anti-Akuma weapon?"

Road grabbed the scruff of his neck. "Shut up and stop asking me so many damn questions!" Road yelled, "You're just a bratty little kid who thinks he can save the world. The Earl would kill a hundred of you before you get the chance to blink! So just shut up about the damned Akuma!"

"…Here." Jean tossed something at Road.

"Eh, an onion?" The onion exploded in Road's face, causing her eyes to water. "Wh-what the hell!?"

"Nya, nya," Jean taunted, "That's my invention, the onion bomb!" He turned away from Road. "Listen you, there's no way I'll just sit quietly and overlook the Akuma's invasion. So don't tell me that I'm no match for the Earl, little girl!"

"I'm taller than you!" He was already too far to hear her. "Dammit, you are so dead, kid!" Road tried to run after him, but tripped. "Grrr…stupid onion!"

--

"Young master!" A weird chubby looking maid was knocking on a door covered in keep out signs. "Young master, Jean, you have a guest, can you hear me? Young master Jean!"

Jean opened the door a crack. "Who is it?" He spotted the young boy standing next to the maze. "Leo!" Jean took Leo into his room and shut the door. "It's been a while, partner! You haven't contacted me since the day of the funeral, so I was worried!" Jean plopped down onto a plushy chair. "You're living with your relatives now, right Leo? It must've been hard when your mom died, but I'll help you with anything. So cheer up, okay!" Leo said nothing. _Somehow…Leo seems different. Well it was a major shock when his mom died. I wonder if…there's anything I can do to make him feel better… _"Ah, that's right!" Jean said out loud, "Today I saw an Akuma for the first time!" Leo glanced at him. "I continued to patrol even while you were gone, and it turned out that their inner framework was mechanical after all! Also…I saw the face of the Millennium Earl! It was definitely him, wait a sec so I can draw him on a piece of paper! Let's see…" Jean started scribbling on a piece of paper. "Like this!" Jean held up an incredibly sloppy drawing. "Let's hand out this picture and start patrolling together again!"

Leo walked up in front of Jean. "Jean," he finally said, "There's some place I want to take you…"

Outside, Road was pulling on a weird doorbell. "Geh, that stupid brat, throwing some onion thing into my face like that…he is sooooo dead. Come to think of it…how am I supposed to kill him? I can't use the Innocence…" She rolled up her sleeves. "So I guess I'll have to do it the old fashioned way!"

The weird looking maid answered the door. "Yes?"

"Yeah, um, I heard that this was Jean's house, right? Is he in?"

"You're looking for Master Jean?" The maid started falling towards Road. "Yes, I believe he's here." She landed right on top of Road.

"What did you come here for?" Jean asked, snickering. Road was too preoccupied trying to get the maid (who was about 5 times bigger than her) off to reply. Jean stuck his tongue out. "If you're here to tell me about how I'm no match for the earl, then you're wasting your time!"

"Y-you…bastard…" Road muttered from under the maid.

"Let's go Leo," Jean said while skating away.

"Aww forget it," Road pouted. "It's not worth my time to kill him." Her eye started throbbing as she spotted Leo. "No way, is that…?" She clenched her left hand. "No, self-control…I can't kill it right away. I have to follow it back to the Earl." She tried to move. "But first I have to get this fat lady off of me!"

--

Jean grasped the bars of the gate as he stared inside. "Oy Leo, is this the place you wanted to show me? It's the cemetery." He turned to Leo. "Ah, could it be that you just wanted to visit your mother's grave?" He walked inside. "Why didn't you say so? You just had to tell me that instead of being all fishy about…" He bumped into a plump man. "…it?"

The man patted his head. "Good evening, Jean. :3 Pleased to meet you, Jean. :3"

Jean backed away quickly. "Th-that's…the Millennium Earl!?" He threw an onion bomb at the Earl and grabbed Leo's arm. "C'mon, Leo, we're running away!" Leo didn't budge. "Oy, Leo! What's wrong with you? If we stay here we'll be killed by the Earl!"

"Leo…" The Earl interrupted. "Leo died a long time ago. :3 On the day of his mother's funeral. That is nothing but an Akuma that I've sent out to punish you for interfering with me. :3" The Earl said with an evil look.

"Y-you're lying…" Jean said quietly.

"It's true, you annoying little brat." Road said as she entered the cemetery. "I told you you'd die if you kept talking about the Akuma."

"N-no…" Jean stuttered. "You're lying! Leo can't be an Akuma!"

"Whatever." Road turned to the Millennium Earl. "Hey, Duke Millennium, just kill this kid and take me home already."

"Eh?" The Earl asked, surprised. "Excuse me, but may I know who you are? :3"

Road cocked her head. "What kind of joke is that? Ah well, but since you're here, there's no need to keep that eyesore alive anymore." A candle appeared in her hand as her Innocence activated. "Say goodnight, Akuma-chan!" Road tried to skewer the Akuma in the forehead, but Jean steeped out in front of her. Road's arm automatically stopped. "What the hell!?" Road exclaimed, "Stupid Innocence." She turned to Jean. "Get out of my way, stupid kid!"

Jean shook his head. "H-how…how could Jean be an Akuma? I mean, he's my best friend! We even started the Akuma patrol together! The two of us protected the city…" He bit his lip. "There's no way he's an Akuma! What proof do you have that he is!?"

_Ka-chi._

Leo transformed into an Akuma, pointing all of his barrels at Jean.

"Leo…"

"Keh…stupid brat." Road stuck her candle into the Akuma. "I thought I told you to stay outta my way." The Akuma exploded, the chain binding its soul shattering. Road turned to the Millennium Earl. "Let's go, Duke Millennium, I'm getting kinda hungry."

The Earl cocked his head. "I really don't know what you're talking about. :3 My dear exorcist. :3"

Road laughed bitterly. "Ha ha, okay, joke's over. It wasn't really that funny to begin with." She held out her hands. "Now take me home, please."

"What home are you talking about? :3" The Earl asked. "You certainly have a strange sense of humor, exorcist. :3"

"Would you stop already!?" Road shouted, tears forming in her eyes. "Would you stop pretending you don't know me!? You know I'm not an exorcist!"

The Earl raised his umbrella as a few hundred level one Akuma appeared. "Well of course you're an exorcist. :3 That's why…" The Earl glared evilly at her. "That's why you must die!" The Akuma all shot at her at once.

_Does he really not remember me? _Road thought, too stunned to move. _Is he really gonna kill me? _She fell to the ground grasping her head, her tears flowing freely. _Exactly what the hell did you do, Allen!?_

The bullets exploded as they hit. Jean stared through the smoke at where Road was seconds ago. "What's…going on? Leo…" Suddenly, a hand grabbed him and carried him out of the cemetery.

"Stay here," A girl's voice said behind Jean. He turned around, and only a woman garbed in a black robe dash back into the cemetery.

Road was still on the ground clutching her head, crying freely. Blood was pouring from her left eye because of all the Akuma she saw at once. _Why aren't I dead yet?_ She thought as her blood and tears mixed. _Why?_ She saw a pair of boots with a supernatural glow emitting from them step in front of her.

"Are you okay?" The owner of the boots asked.

Road tried to look up. "W-who are you?"

The owner of the boots smiled. "I'm Lenalee, and you're lucky I got here on time."


	5. The 4th Memory

**Longish short chapter here. I had a bit of trouble writing this one for some reason, probably because of making Road act like a little girl. Sure she's sadistic, but she's still a little girl. Yeah…**

**Lenalee, Komui, and Lavi are in this chapter. As well as a very sadistic Allen. So be happy. And see if you can recognize the song Allen's singing. You get a cookie if you guess right. Don't worry, I only changed a few of the lyrics to make it fit the story better.**

**And I'll stop replying to reviews that say things like, "OMG great chappie!" Because I already know how awesome I am. I'd like more reviews please! Thank you?**

**Disclaimer****: Original concept of D. Gray-Man belongs to Hoshino Katsura, and the translated lyrics featured in this chapter originally belong to Abingdon Boys School.**

* * *

**The 4****th**** Memory: Ever and Never End**

Road stared at Lenalee in shock. "Y-you saved me…why?"

Lenalee tilted her head. "Because you needed help, that's why."

"B-but I…"

"Well look what we have here. :3" The Earl said. "Another exorcist has joined the party. :3 If I knew there would be so many guests, I would've prepared dinner for all of you. :3 :3" He raised his umbrella once more. "But since I'm empty handed at the moment, I'm afraid I'll have to improvise. :3" The Akuma shot once more at the two girls.

"Watch out!" Lenalee grabbed Road and danced through the barrage of bullets.

"Not bad, exorcist," The Earl said, "But you know what the people of the West say. :3 Unskilled guns, but when the number increases, they're sure to hit! :3" The Akuma rapidly fired at Lenalee.

Lenalee dodged the bullets and placed Road behind a gravestone. "Stay here, the Akuma are after me, so they won't shoot at you if you're hidden." She turned to fight, when Road grasped her sleeve.

"Don't you know who I am?" She asked, "What I did?"

Lenalee smiled at her. "As far as I'm concerned, you're an exorcist that needs help." She jumped back into the fray.

Road stared at the spot Lenalee was standing in. "He really doesn't remember." She wept as the sounds of exploding Akuma filled the air. "Why…why doesn't anyone remember me?" She slowly rose to her feet, feeling the ground sway underneath her. She started walking towards the Earl.

Lenalee spotted Road as she pierced though a couple of Akuma. "What are you doing!?" She shouted at Road. "Go back and hide!"

Road didn't hear her. "Duke Millennium…you remember me, right? You…you have to be joking…" The Earl ignored her and continued watching Lenalee with interest. "Why…why don't you remember me?" Lenalee tried to get to Road, but the Akuma were blocking the way. "Please…remember…" The cross on her hand started glowing. "REMEMBER ME DAMMIT!!" A blinding light emitted from Road as her Innocence activated. Silver candles materialized over the Akuma, falling onto them and piercing their souls. The Akuma exploded in a chain reaction, the souls ascending to the heavens. Lenalee fell down to the ground, unconscious, because the debris of Road's attack hit her. Dark seraphic wings appeared on Road's back as she flew up to the Earl.

"Eh, what's the matter exorcist? :3" the Earl asked as Road flew up in front of him.

Road glared at him. "You know who I am." She whispered. "I'm you're favorite Noah, Road Kamelot."

The Earl stared at Road. "What do you presume to know about the Noah?"

"I know all the Noah, because I'm one of them." Road answered.

"Prove it." The Earl said. "Give me the names of six of my children."

"That's easy." Road said. "Tyki Mikk, Skin Boric, Jasdevi, Lulu Bell, Sheryl Kamelot…" She bit her lip. "And me?"

"Oops," The Earl said, crossing his arms. "So sorry, but you're missing my favorite child. :3"

"What are you talking about!?" Road shouted, "I thought I was your favorite!?"

The Earl shook his head. "Why would such an impolite child like you be my favorite? :3 Besides, everyone in the family knows exactly who my favorite is. :3"

Road clenched her teeth. "Who? Tyki? Lulu!?"

"Allen Walker." The Earl slashed Road. "That is the name of my favorite, you pathetic exorcist." Upon hearing Allen's name, her Innocence failed, causing her wings to fall apart. Tears and blood trailed behind her as she fell, while the Earl laughed. "It was fun playing with you," He said as Road lost consciousness. "Road the exorcist…"

--

"Pain spills and flows from the wound torn in my open chest in the dark, and dissolves the thoughts that connect overlapped moments." _It…it hurts. Why are you torturing me like this? _"Having a nightmare in a fever that you can never wake from, I can hear your final voice." _Isn't enough you made me an exorcist? Do you have to destroy my family too!?_ "Don't cry, if I embraced you to the point that you seem to break, you'd tremble. Show me the suffering inflicted throughout the darkness, as we cross the threshold of black and white." _Just stop singing…you bastard…_ "Surely, I've searched for the unfading miracle, and to break you with your own desires."

"Ever and never end, I'll release you, so far away." Road was crucified to a cross on the wall, blood covering most of her body. She was drained of energy, while Allen stood in front of her, clearly enjoying her pain. Allen caressed Road's face. "How do you like my song, Miss Kamelot?"

Road spat in his face. "I like it just about as much as I like you, you bastard."

Allen wiped the spit off his face. "Ah ha ha, still the same as ever, I suppose." He wiped some blood off her face. "I guess I'll just have to torture you more."

"How did you make him forget?" Road asked. "How did you make everyone forget me?"

"I don't know," Allen answered, "You tell me." He took out a knife.

"Gah!" Road gasped as Allen thrust the knife into her stomach.

Allen twisted the knife. "Hurts, doesn't it?" He wiped some blood off of his mask. "I could make it hurt more if you wanted me to. Just say the word."

"I won't lose…"

"Eh?" Allen moved his face closer to hers. "What was that?" Road bit him. Allen winced at the pain and backed away from her.

"I said I won't lose!" Road shouted. "I'll never lose to you! You think creating a fake world like that would break me!? There's no way Duke Millennium would forget me, no way can I have Innocence, and definitely no way you're the Earl's favorite! And if you ever think that I'll bow down to you I then I'll throw you into a fake world like this and watch _you_ suffer!"

"Ah, but Road…" Allen slashed her with his claw. "Who ever said the world you're in was a fake?"

"What?" Road asked weakly.

"The world you've been in the whole time is as real as you or me. There are no fakes at all." He smiled. "After all, the pain and despair you're feeling is real, isn't it?" He moved his face in front of hers, their lips almost touching. "Everything you've been experiencing is real. The Millennium Earl really _doesn't_ remember you. My Innocence really _does_ exist within you, although I don't know why. And best of all…" He grinned evilly. "I really _am_ the Earl's favorite."

"H-how?" Road asked.

Allen shrugged. "A prophecy was once made about me. It called me 'the Destroyer of Time.' This might be what it meant. I've broken up time, turning you into an exorcist, and sending me back to my rightful place." He stared into Road's eyes. "Aw, is little Roadie gonna cry? Does she hate me as much as I hate her? Would you like a kiss to make you feel better?" Allen pressed his lips softly onto Road's. "How does it feel, to be so helpless? To have the one you hate force a kiss on your lips?"

"I…I hate it…"

Allen smiled. "You do, don't you?" He took some of Road's blood onto his fingers. "By the way, have you tasted your own blood before?" He shoved his fingers into Road's mouth. Road coughed violently when Allen removed his hand. "Tastes horrible, doesn't it?"

"Please…just stop…"

"Eh, is little Roadie begging for mercy? Am I finally getting my point across?" He cocked his head. "Do you want to give up, Road?"

Road nodded weakly. "Just let me go home…I don't like this game at all…"

Allen laughed and held his claw to Road's face. "Sorry, Road, but the game's far from over."

--

"Is she all right, brother?" Lenalee asked, "It's been a week since I've brought her here, and she still hasn't regained consciousness."

Komui shook his head. "She hasn't responded well to the treatment. Her wounds have been treated well enough, but she still remains in a comatose state. However, I'm more interested on how she knew the Earl."

Lenalee shrugged. "When I came to, I was in a hospital bed. A boy named Jean brought the two of us to the hospital by himself, and explained to me what happened. But all I know is that this girl can create weapons using the Innocence in her left hand, and she can create wings to fly with."

Komui sighed. "All that tells us is that this girl is a parasitic type and that she has the power of 'materialization.' But that still doesn't explain her relationship with the Earl. But for the moment, I have a mission for you, Lenalee."

"You aren't seriously suggesting that I leave while this girl is in critical condition, do you?"

"Well, uh, Kanda already left, and you're already a couple hours behind him…"

"But brother!" Lenalee cried.

"I'm sorry, Lenalee, but we need you to go to Martel and retrieve the Innocence. You can't waste time watching somebody who won't be able to wake up for a while."

"But…"

"If she's that concerned," A voice said, "Then I'll watch over the girl." A guy with red hair and an eye-patch walked into the room. "Lenalee, Komui, it's been a while."

"See Lenalee?" Komui said brightly, "Nothing to worry about! Lavi will look after her while you're away!"

"But…" Lenalee bit her lip. "I can't leave her alone with a pervert like Lavi!"

Lavi's face fell. "P-pervert!? Are you crazy!? This girl is probably, what, 12, 13? Besides, you know I only go for older women!"

"So?"

Komui put his hand on Lenalee's shoulder. "Let Lavi watch over her. Don't worry, I'll have a communication golem positioned here to make sure Lavi doesn't do anything inappropriate."

"Do you guys really not trust me?" Lavi asked, "I'm a little bit hurt by that."

Lenalee gave Lavi a hug. "I'm sorry, Lavi, I was just worried about the girl. I didn't mean to call you a pervert." She ran out of the room. "Bye, Lavi! Bye Komui! I'll be back after I get the Innocence from Martel!"

"Lenalee, waaaiiiiiiit!" Komui yelled, "You forgot to give your brother a hug!"

Lavi tapped him on the shoulder with his hammer. "Dude, I don't think she's coming back." Komui latched onto Lavi. "H-hey! What're ya doing?"

Komui rubbed his face on Lavi's robe. "I must take back Lenalee's hug from you…"

Lavi kicked him. "Get back to work!"

--

"Good evening, Millennium Earl." Allen bowed. "It's great to see you back home."

The Earl patted Allen's head. "No need to be so formal, Allen. :3 You don't have to bow, and I said you may call me Duke Millennium. :3"

Allen grinned sheepishly. "I know, sir, but I can't help it. I was just born like this."

"I know, Allen." The Earl replied. "Your politeness is what makes you my favorite after all."

"Eh, would you just tell Allen the mission already, Lero?" Lero the umbrella asked.

"Yes, yes, of course, Lero. :3" He turned to Allen. "I'm sorry to give you a mission when you're supposed to be resting, but this is of the up most importance. :3"

"Just say the word and I'll follow." Allen told him.

"You see, there's been reports of an Innocence in a certain city, and I suspect it may be the Heart. :3 I want you to go to that town and retrieve the Innocence before any of those pesky exorcists get their hands on it. :3"

Allen bowed. "Your wish is my command. Shall I use the Ark for this?"

The Earl shook his head. "No, that won't be necessary. :3 Just take Lero with you. :3"

"Wh-what's that, Lero?" Lero asked. "I thought it was time for my break, Lero!"

"It was Allen's break too. :3" the Earl said, "So it's only fair you transport him to the city."

""B-b-b-b-b-but Lero! Lero."

Allen grabbed the umbrella. "I'll be back in time for dinner, Duke Millennium." Allen said, "But I'm curious, exactly what city are you asking me to go to?"

The Earl grinned. "The City of Martel."


	6. Intermission I

**Welcome to the first Intermission chapter of my story! The Intermission chapters are chapters that appear randomly throughout the story, where I will explain some of the stuff that went on before the prologue. And again, it contains some of my ideas for the possible prelude. I'm also sorry that this is so short.**

**Allen angst in this chapter! And more support for AllenxLenalee! Even though there's some low-brow humor involving Allen and Road…I'm also putting this story on hiatus for a bit. Why? I've been neglecting all my other stories to do this one, and my other fics need love too!**

**Speaking of love…Timcampy needs more love. I'm sorry I can't find a place to fit you in, Timcampy!**

**dsclmr****: dgm blngs 2 hsino ktsra.**

* * *

**Intermission I: The Black Roses of Eternal Passing**

_It was breaking. The love I felt for him was breaking apart, crumbling like dust in the wind. The precious memories I held for him were drifting away, unable to be pieced back together. I tried to gather up the pieces, to fit them back into the puzzle, but there was no place they would fit. Those memories were becoming unnecessary pieces, fading away as I brought in new ones. The link that was thought to be unbreakable, indestructible, was unraveling. Only one thing kept it from completely breaking._

_A curse._

_The curse that had kept me bound to Mana, the curse that had bestowed eternal suffering onto me. The curse that had kept my purpose alive. My purpose to continue walking, and to never look back. No matter what sorrows befell me, I had to keep walking, to bring salvation to the Akuma's soul. Nothing could stop me, nothing could keep me from fulfilling Mana's wishes. I owe it to him to save the souls of the Akuma, to end the cycle of eternal suffering. Why do I continue to keep his promise, long after Mana cursed me and left this earth? I do it out of love, and remorse._

_But that love I've been acting upon crumbled away in an instant._

"You had the 14th's memories implanted in you, and you are the host necessary for his revival." General Cross said, "The implanted memories will eventually erode the host, and turn you into the 14th."

Allen stared in shock at his master. "What…the hell…" Allen fell to the ground. "When Mana said he loved me, did he mean me, or…" Allen clenched his teeth. "Which is it?"

General Cross knelt in front of his apprentice. "Mana kind of lost it after his brother died." Cross told him. "Who knows if he even remembered the past or not. At least…I couldn't tell."

_When my master said those words…I still thought the reason Mana loved me was because I was to become his brother. The seeds of doubt have already been sown into my heart. In the end, do you always have to sacrifice something to protect something else?_

_And what he said next was even worse._

"What would you do," Cross asked, "If I told you that you have to kill someone you love when you become the 14th?"

_What did he mean be that? Did he mean I had to kill my feelings for Mana, to forget about him and move on with my life? Or did he actually mean I have to kill somebody I love?_

"Allen!" A voice said, "Are you dozing off again!?" Lenalee tapped his head with a clipboard.

"Eh, wha?" Allen asked drowsily, "Where were we again?"

Allen was together with all the exorcists, discussing the recent events of the war against the Earl. It had been exactly three months since Allen took control of the Ark, and even less since he had the talk with his master. During that time, the exorcists have been in two major battles with the Noah clan, one which ended in a stalemate, and one which caused Allen to live with Road for a month. The Generals were dispatched on special missions and to find more hosts for the Innocence, but Allen was left behind at the Order because General Cross said Allen wasn't ready for the hardships of a general.

"Che, damned moyashi." Kanda muttered. "Can't even pay attention when we're talking."

"I was paying attention!" Allen protested, "Komui was just saying how mass producing Komurin would increase our chances of victory against the Earl!"

"And we beat the crap out of him for suggesting something as stupid as that." Kanda said, "If you _were_ listening, moyashi, you'd know that Miranda arrived and was explaining how she received a message from the Earl delivered by the Noah."

Allen quickly turned to Miranda. "Eh, really?"

Miranda smiled sadly. "It's okay Allen, I know I'm not too interesting." She looped a rope around her neck. "If I knew I was boring you sooner, I would've killed myself already."

"Ah, no Miranda, please don't kill yourself." He took the rope from her. "It's not your fault I fell asleep, I've just been tired lately ever since I got back from Ireland."

"You were just 'tired' huh?" Lavi cut in, "Are you sure you weren't thinking about your secret teenage lover?"

Allen choked on his coffee. "Ehh!? You couldn't possibly be talking about…what's wrong with you Lavi!?"

Lavi grinned. "Nothing. It's just that you _did_ live with her for a month. And you both had your memories wiped. And you slept in the same room. And she totally had the hots for you, not to mention the fact that you two were both at that age. So any _logical_ thinker would guess you and her…um, how should I say this? Got it on?" Allen tried to reach over to Lavi and thump him, when coffee suddenly spilled on Lavi. "Owowow!" Lavi yelled, "What'd you do that for, Lenalee?"

Lenalee stuck her tongue at him. "It was an accident."

"Why you…" Lavi glared angrily at Lenalee when suddenly _more_ coffee spilled on Lavi. "What, you too!?"

Allen grinned angelically. "I'm sorry, it was an accident."

Lavi punched him in the face. "You stinkin' moyashi…"

Allen punched him back. "It's your fault for even _thinking_ that the two of us could do…_that_!"

"Ah…the joys of youth." Bookman said as he sipped his tea.

"Settle down, settle down." Komui pulled the two exorcists apart. "As long as you don't involve my Lenalee in this, you shouldn't really care if Allen had sex with Road or not."

Allen tried to punch Komui but he blocked it with his clipboard. "Komui," Allen said, steaming. "Remind me to kill you later."

"Oh look, steamed moyashi." Kanda commented.

"Shut it, Kanda!" Allen yelled.

"Che, why don't you?" Kanda asked, pulling his Mugen out.

"Oh, so it's a fight you want, huh?" Allen asked, rolling his sleeves.

"Count me in," Lavi pulled out his hammer.

"Would you guys just, QUIT IT!" Lenalee shouted, causing them to shut up. "Honestly, you guy are so immature, talking about sex and whatnot."

"Oh, is Lenalee mad that she couldn't be Allen's first?" Lavi asked.

Komui pointed a random drill at Lavi. "How dare you talk about my Lenalee like that!?"

Lenalee kicked Komui's head. "Do you remember that talk we had about your sister complex?"

"No." Komui said innocently.

Thousands of needles suddenly landed centimeters from all of them. "All right, enough playing around." Bookman said, "It's about time we heard Miranda's report."

"Yes, sir," they all said simultaneously.

"T-thank you, Bookman." Miranda said shyly. "Now, Crowley's received this message in Bulgaria as well, from a different Noah. But the message seems to be the same. Although it was kinda hard to hear Crowley. Since the reception was bad, and our golems wouldn't connect properly, and-"

"Just hurry up and tell us the message already." Kanda interrupted rudely.

Miranda nodded her head extremely fast. "Y-yes, Kanda, I'm so sorry for wasting your time!"

"Che, just talk already."

"O-okay!" Miranda gulped. "W-well, the message said this. 'The final act of our play has finally started, so I hope you exorcists are ready for your curtain to fall.' And…" She looked directly at Allen and bit her lip.

"What, is there anything else?" Bookman asked suspiciously.

Miranda shook her head. "N-no, that's all. Well, there was one other thing, but it was from the messenger, not the Earl." She looked at Allen again.

"What? Is there something on my face?" Allen asked. Miranda bit her lip even harder, hard enough for a few drops of blood to leak out. "Eh, Miranda! Are you okay?"

"A-Allen." Miranda stuttered. "Road told me to tell you to come to Italy, alone."

--

Allen stood in front of the Ark, a single overnight bag beside him. He looked up at the Ark. _Am I really going to go through with this? _He thought. Allen stared at his left hand.

"_What would you do, if I told you that you had to kill someone you love before you become the 14th?"_

_I know what I'd do now, master. I'd leave her behind to protect her, no matter how much it hurt._ A single tear escaped from his eyes. "Goodbye…Lenalee…" He whispered.

"Why are you saying goodbye, Allen?"


	7. The 5th Memory

**I said this story was going on hiatus, but since you people love it so much, I'm breaking that promise. Ah well, whatever… Road doesn't appear in this chapter, because it's Allen's time to shine! Yet Lala still gets more lines…eheh heh heh…**

**I also started another DGM fic, one of those high school fic things. I know I'm shamelessly advertising, but I'd like some feedback on it. It's called D. Gray High, and it has one of those save the world, romantic comedy plots. Please take the time to read and review it…please?**

**Disclaimer****: If I owned D. Gray-Man, it's popularity would fall all the way down to the quadruple digits. Which is why Hoshino Katsura sensei owns it.**

* * *

**The 5****th**** Memory: The Ghost Town of Martel**

The Finders were lined up around three level one Akuma, one of the Akuma swelled into a bulbous form. The Finders were holding up their talismans to keep them from escaping. "All right!" One of the Finders yelled, "We've captured it in a protective ward! Don't let go of it, even if you die!"

One of the Finders went to the Captain. "Don't you think we can make some time with this, Captain?"

"I wonder…" The captain muttered, "Would this amount of talismans be enough? I mean, look at the central form of the Akuma that killed a large number of humans…"

"Ugh…" Blood splattered onto the Captain. "C-Captain…" The Finder next to him fell to the ground, dead.

"Hyahahahaha!!" One of the Akuma laughed. "I am Akuma!" The bulbous Akuma's shape started shifting and convulsing, filling in the volume of the barrier it was trapped in.

"Crap…" The Captain's eyes widened. "Evacuate now! That Akuma is evolving!" A bullet went through the Captain. "D-damn…"

"I am Akuma! A new self born from dark matter!" The Akuma tore open the barrier. "I gratefully thank you for nurturing me…" He pulled himself out. "It's a level up!" He turned to one of the Finders. "Hello there, would you like to be my first victim?"

The Finder fell on his back and tried to crawl away. "N-no…I don't want to die!" He pulled out his phone. "Calling all Finders in the area, one of the Akuma has evolved! Hurry, run away! Run away-aaaauuuggh!"

"We have to endure this." A Finder said as the connection broke. "We must hold out until the exorcists arrive." Beams of moonlight fell onto a girl and an old man. Until then, we must protect the Innocence without fail…" A shower of bullets suddenly crashed through the roof. "Crap, a level one found us!" The level one hovered towards the Finder. "No…I can't die yet! I have to protect the Innocence!" The Akuma pointed its barrels at the Finder. He closed his eyes. "Nooooo!"

The Akuma fired.

"W-what? "I-I'm still alive?" The finder opened his eyes and saw a boy with black hair wearing a dark cloak with his left hand inside the Akuma. "D-did you save me?"

The Akuma exploded. "Why did you have to save the human, Lero!?"

The boy ignored Lero and smiled. "Are you okay, Mr. Finder?"

--

Kanda was sitting inside a train eating soba, with a Finder named Toma sitting across from him. "Excuse me, Master Kanda," Toma said, "Have you examined the mission specs yet?"

Kanda swallowed some of his soba. "Yes, I have. According to the legend of Martel, it is a town uninhabited by people. And it's said that only a ghost lives there." He brought some more soba into his mouth. "The ghost used to be a resident of Martel. Resenting the townspeople who abandoned the town and immigrated, its face became ugly. In order to cure it's loneliness, it dragged in children who approached the town." He swallowed some more of his soba. "When the Black Order investigated the town, they found traces of Innocence, which led to me being dispatched there."

Toma nodded. "You memorized the mission specs, as usual. But you're missing a few details."

Kanda finished up the rest of his soba. "Che, I wasn't finished. Martel was considered to be 'the land forsaken by God.' In order to ease their suffering, the residents of Martel created dolls that sang and danced for them. But eventually, the people got tired of the doll and emigrated to other lands. And even 500 years later, the doll continued to sing and dance, thanks to the Innocence inside of it." He handed his empty soba container to Toma. "Is that good enough for you?"

Toma nodded. "Yes, it is." He disposed of the soba container.

"Che." Kanda picked up his Mugen. "Let's go, it's time for us to get off."

--

"Where are yooooouu!" The level two called out, "Martel's ghost-chaaaaaan?" He walked through the corridors. "Geez, this place is just like a maze, and it's narrow too. But it's so much fun, like treasure hunting! Ghost-chaaaan, I will definitely find you!"

"Damn…" The Finder said after hearing the Akuma's voice echo throughout the corridors. "There's no where else to hide. It's only a matter of seconds before that Akuma finds us."

"Lala…" the old man said weakly. "Run away…"

The little girl named Lala shook her head. "No, I'm not leaving you, Guzoru. I'm not going to leave the only one who's ever accepted me behind."

"You don't have to." Allen knelt behind Guzoru and Lala. "As long as I'm here, I'll protect you."

"Aaaahh, what's wrong with you, Lero!?" Lero shouted. "Just take the Innocence and leave, Lero. There's no need to protect any of them, Lero!"

"By the way…" The Finder looked at Allen and Lero. "Who exactly are you guys? You don't look like exorcists."

"Ah ha ha…" Allen laughed nervously, "Well, how should I explain this?"

"Found you!" The Akuma stuck his head into the room. "Well well, look what we have here! A couple of humans and a doll. I wonder who I should kill first…"

Allen appeared behind the Akuma. "I would prefer it," Allen said sweetly, "If you left everyone here alone."

"Eh, who are you?" the Akuma swiped at Allen and knocked him into the wall. "Are you here to fight me? Silly human." The Akuma grinned madly. "I am Akuma, I will make your blood splatter against the walls!"

Allen leapt over the Akuma and kicked his head into the ground. "Like I said before, I would rather not fight."

"What's this?" The Akuma grabbed Allen's arm. "How could you stand up after I threw you like that, human!?"

Allen smiled. "I said I didn't want to fight." Allen smashed the Akuma's head into the ground. "But I will if I have to."

"S-Such power…" the Finder stuttered. "Who are you?"

"I'm Allen." Allen said simply. "I'm here for the Innocence."

"B-But you're not an exorcist…"

"I know." Allen answered.

"Yet you want the Innocence…"

"I know." Allen put one of his claws to the Finder's neck. "All I want it the Innocence. I don't want to have to kill you."

"Are you…an enemy?"

Allen slashed the Finder's chest. "You could say that I am. But I'm the kind who'd prefer not to kill." The Finder fell to the ground. "Listen, Mr. Finder. I avoided your vitals, so you can have a chance to live. Go back to your home, and pretend none of this ever happened."

"The Order is my home…" The Finder said weakly. "And I took a vow to serve the Order whether it kills me or not." He grabbed Allen's cloak. "I will stop you from getting the Innocence, I must…" He fell unconscious.

"Poor Mr. Finder…" Allen said sadly. "You might get yourself killed someday with that attitude…" He turned around. "Now I'm afraid I have to take your Innocence now, Miss-" A sweatdrop appeared on his forehead. "T-They're gone…"

"This is your fault, Lero!" Lero shouted at Allen. "If you didn't have such a bleeding heart, Lero, we would be home already! You are so stupid, Lero-" Allen grabbed Lero tightly. "Aaaaah! T-t-t-that hurts, Lero!"

"Hey Lero…" Allen said angelically, "If you don't shut up, you'll end up the way you did when you made me lose at cards with Tyki."

The memory of what happened caused Lero to fall to the floor. "S-so cruel…Lero…"

"Let's go, Lero. We have to find Lala and Guzoru before they get to far." Allen left the room.

"Fine, Lero."

The Akuma on the ground twitched. "W-why didn't that human finish me off?" His body started morphing. "Heh heh heh…he'll regret not killing me…"

--

Lala was supporting Guzoru while they were walking through the corridors. Lala pushed a block on the wall and a stairway opened up on the ground. "Just a little further, Guzoru." Lala whispered. "Don't worry, we can hide somewhere before they find us." She started climbing down the stairway.

"Kuh!" Guzoru coughed up some blood.

"Ah, Guzoru, are you okay?" Lala asked.

Guzoru shook his head. "I'm sorry, Lala. I'm afraid my time in this world is running out…"

"Don't say that Guzoru!" Lala cried. "You have to live! I…I don't want to be left alone again! If you die…I don't know what I'd do without you!"

The old man coughed out some more blood. "Don't cry, Lala. You won't be left alone."

"Oh Guzoru…" She caressed his face. "You know I can't cry." They walked into a large, moonlit room filled with sand. "Let's rest here, Guzoru." She put him down.

Guzoru coughed out more blood. "I'm sorry I've caused you so much trouble, Lala. If I never came to this city, you wouldn't be attacked by these monsters."

Lala shook her head. "Guzoru, if you never came to this city, I would've gone on living without any purpose." She buried her face into Guzoru's chest. "You are my purpose, Guzoru. I live only for you." She put her hand to her chest. "Besides, those monsters probably would've come anyway if you weren't here."

Guzoru stroked Lala's hair. "Please, Lala, sing me a song."

--

"I-I'm lost." Allen was stuck inside a small shaft full of cobwebs. "I can't believe I'm lost!" Allen cried, "I've done this once already yet I got lost again!"

"What's wrong with you, Lero!" Lero yelled, "And what do you mean you've done this before, Lero!"

"I blame you Lero!" Allen shouted, "It's your fault I'm lost!"

"M-m-m-my fault! I was the one following _you_, Lero!"

"Wait a moment!" Allen put his hand over Lero's mouth. "Do you hear that?"

"Hear what, Lero?"

"Shh!" Allen shushed. "Listen, don't you hear that?" A voice echoed quietly throughout the halls. "A terribly beautiful melody," Allen whispered. "A lullaby full of artificial flowers…"

"What are you talking about, Lero?"

Allen ran away from the umbrella. "Stay there, Lero!" Allen shouted, "I'm going to the source of that song!"

"Y-you're leaving me behind, Lero!?"

--

"Are you…sad Lala?" Guzoru asked.

Lala stopped singing. "Why would you ask that, Guzoru?"

"It's just that…I thought I heard sadness in your singing." Guzoru said softly.

"Guzoru…earlier when those Finder guys asked which one of us was the doll…why'd you lie and say you were?"

Guzoru held Lala in his arms. "I…I'm a very ugly human, Lala. I didn't want Lala to be destroyed by strangers. Please Lala, always stay by my side, and when the time comes, please let me destroy you with my own hands."

Lala wrapped her arms around him. "I will, Guzoru. I'm yours and yours alone. I will always be your doll." She looked up at Guzoru. "What song would you like next?"

Tears streamed out of Guzoru's eyes. "I…am an ugly human being…"

A snapping sound echoed behind them. "Eh…I'm sorry." Allen scratched his head. "I didn't want to ruin the moment here so…" Lala picked up a giant pillar and threw it at Allen. "Ack, not again!" He dodged the pillar. "Can't we talk about this?" Lala picked another one up and threw it. "I guess not." Allen grabbed the thrown pillar and threw it back at Lala.

"Ah!" Lala grasped her head with her hands. The pillar flew behind them and knocked down the rest of the pillars around them.

"There, now there's nothing else to throw." Allen knelt in front of Lala. "You know, you don't have to solve all your problems with violence. Besides…" Allen smiled. "I won't fight against such a cute girl, even if she is a doll."

Lala stared at the ground. "Guzoru's days are numbered." She looked up at Allen. "Until then, don't separate us! When Guzoru dies, I'll willingly give you my heart myself! So please…"

"Do you mind telling me why Guzoru's so important to you?" Allen asked.

Lala's gaze shifted away. "Long ago, there was a human child crying in Martel..."

--

_That child had been persecuted by the villagers, and they discarded him in this town that was rumored to have ghosts dwelling around._

"A human, a human." A dark, tangled up shadow went in front of the crying child. "Little boy…" The moonlight shone on the shadow's face, revealing a broken-up and decrepit face. "How about a song?"

_It had been 500 years since the people of Martel left. It wasn't the first time since then a human strayed to this place. If I remember correctly, this child was the sixth one to wander into Martel. The other five whom I've asked, "How about a song," abruptly attacked me when they heard that. "Monster," they would say as they beat me, even though I only asked if they wanted to hear a song. That's why, to this child before me, if he didn't accept me, I would've just killed him like I did with the other five. I am a doll created by humans. I exist to serve and entertain the humans. I want to sing!_

"A song?" A little boy said. The moonlight shone to reveal tears falling from the deformed face of the child. "You'll sing for me? No one has ever offered me that before. I'm Guzoru, please sing for me, Miss Ghost."

--

"It's been eighty years since that day," Lala said, "And Guzoru has always been with me. You know, Guzoru won't be able to move very soon. The sound of his heart is steadily getting slower. Let us stay together until the end…" She looked at Allen sadly. "When Guzoru dies, I don't care what happens to me. In these 500 years, Guzoru was the only one to accept me as a doll. Please, let me move as a doll until the end!"

Allen smiled. "I was going to wait anyway, but I wanted to strengthen my resolve first." He pushed the bangs out of Lala's eyes. "Of course I'll wait, Miss Lala."

A large explosion suddenly resounded through the room. A long haired figure came crashing into the room. "Che…damned level two…" He spotted Lala. "Are you the Innocence?"

"It's been a while, Kanda." Allen said.

"You…" Kanda leapt up to his feet and lifted his Mugen. "You're that Akuma!" He slashed at Allen with his sword, but Allen blocked it with his cloak. "Che…damned moyashi…"

"Heh…you never change, Kanda…"


	8. The 6th Memory

**Allen's saga continues! Yet Kanda has more lines…what's up with that? I'd like to thank Sakra-chan for beta-ing this chap for me, so for her thanks, I give her a cookie. And the privilege of reading this before any of you other people. So…yeah…**

**I'd like your opinions on my action scenes. I have no experience with an extended battle scenes, so I'd like some feedback on it. Please?**

**Disclaimer****: Hoshino Katsura owns the moon.**

* * *

**The 6****th**** Memory: Moonlight Rhapsody**

Kanda and Toma were traveling under the backdrop of darkness, their figures like ghosts in the night. It had been an hour since they left the train, and the Ghost Town of Martel was only a couple of minutes away. "Master Kanda," Toma said, breaking the silence, "We must hurry, I can't receive any signals from the Finders in Martel."

Kanda glanced behind at the trailing Finder. "Che, if I go faster, you won't be able to keep up."

Toma shook his head "I know, Master Kanda, but every second increases the chance of a life being lost. And protecting our comrades is more important than me keeping up with you."

"Like it matters, look over there." Kanda and Toma stood in front of what was left of Martel's borders. Various parts of the city were completely eradicated, small fires burning the remainder of the plants. The mangled bodies of Finders were strewn across the pavement, blood smeared across the walls. Toma took a closer look at the corpses.

"It appears we're too late, Master Kanda. They've been killed recently, since the blood is still fresh." He removed the hood off one of the Finders. "You can still see their last scream etched on their face…"

Kanda's ears twitched. "Toma, get down!" A shower of bullets flew the spot where Toma's head was moments ago. Kanda unsheathed his Mugen. "Innocence," Kanda said as he slid his fingers across the blade, "Activate!" Four level ones flew over the wall. Kanda leapt. "First Illusion: Beasts of the Underworld!" Kanda slashed his Mugen at the Akuma, otherworldly beasts flying out of his blade. The beasts cut through the Akuma, destroying them.

Toma stood up. "Thank you, Master Kanda."

"Che, whatever." He entered one of the buildings. "Follow me, we need to find the Innocence. And don't slow me down."

Toma nodded his head before following Kanda into the ruins. They descended down into the depths of Martel, Kanda annihilating any Akuma that crossed their path. The darkness encasing the two of them, the pressed forward through the ruins in search of the doll in which the Innocence resided. After about ten minutes, the pair heard a strange sound coming from one of the nearby rooms.

"Help…me…" A voice echoed. Kanda raised a finger to his lips, telling Toma to be quiet. "Get away…"

"Gyehahahaha!" Demonic laughter echoed, "Silly human, I'ma gonna kills you!" Kanda quickly leapt into the room to stop the Finder from being killed, but he was too late. A cloaked clownish figure had skewered the Finder with his right claw.

Kanda held his Mugen defensively. "Who are you, an Akuma?"

The figure tuned around, showing the mask on his right eye and his devilish grin. "Who are you, an exorcist?" He slashed at Kanda viciously.

Kanda blocked it with his Mugen and returned the blow. "Che…a level two, huh?"

"It _is_ an exorcist!" The Akuma grinned. "How lovely, I get to have an exorcist toy!" The Akuma extended its claw and grabbed Kanda. "What a lucky find! I thought I'd end up having to settle for that one kid, but an exorcist is even better!" He squeezed Kanda. "Let's go, exorcist, hurry up and fight!"

"What a noisy Akuma…" Kanda sliced through the Akuma's hand and broke free from its grip. "I hope you're not all bark and no bite." He slashed at the Akuma.

"Hah! You think a stupid sword like that would phase me?" The Akuma blocked Kanda's strike with its cloak. "As long as I have these powers, I won't be beaten by you!" The Akuma slashed Kanda, knocking him through the wall. "How'd ya like that, exorcist?"

Kanda picked himself up. "Toma, get out of here…" Kanda charged at the level two. "First Illusion: Beasts of the Underworld!" The beasts converged around the Akuma, piercing its body.

"Keheheh…" It crumbled into dust.

"Che, how pathetic." Kanda sheathed his Mugen. "Let's go Toma-" Kanda's eyes widened.

Toma was lying face down on the ground, blood spurting from his chest. "M-Master Kanda…behind…you…"

Kanda tried to unsheathe his Mugen, when a razor sharp claw pierced his stomach. "Hee ha hee…got you exorcist!" The Akuma pinned Kanda to the wall. "I bet you're wondering how I survived, huh?" He cocked his head. "Well, do ya?"

Kanda spit some blood in his face. "I couldn't care less."

The Akuma punched Kanda. "What an attitude! It's just the kind of attitude I like when I play with my prey!" He slashed Kanda's arm. "I survived because I have the ability to morph into anything!" Blood splattered onto his face. "You only destroyed my outer skin! It didn't kill me so I created a new one!" He stabbed Kanda's shoulder. "What'd ya say to that, exorcist?"

"I say…" Kanda kicked the Akuma in the head and drew his Mugen. "You talk way too much!" He slid his fingers on the blade. "Innocence, activate!" He tackled the Akuma, driving it down through the floor. He held the blade to the Akuma's throat. "It's about time I silence you."

"Keh…" He stabbed Kanda. "You're such a bore." Kanda fell to the ground. "It's about time I found that other kid and that doll. Bye-bye, exorcist." He moved to walk away.

"Che…" Kanda rose from the ground, blood gushing out of his chest.

The Akuma looked at Kanda. "What's this? You're still alive? How?"

"I…I can't die yet. At least…not until I find that person…" He held up his sword. "That is why I won't be killed by scum like you!" Mugen glowed in his hand. "Second Illusion: Double Illusion Bla-" the Akuma grabbed him.

"Did you really think," The Akuma said, "That I'd let you finish your attack?" He threw Kanda down even further into the ruins. Kanda landed inside of a large, moonlit room filled with sand.

"Che…damned level two…" Kanda spotted a girl in front of him. "Are you the Innocence?"

"It's been a while, Kanda." A voice said.

Kand looked up and saw Allen. "You…" He leapt to his feet and raised his Mugen. "You're that Akuma!" He slashed at Allen with his sword, but he blocked it with his cloak. "Che…damned moyashi…"

"Heh…you never change…Kanda." Allen pushed Kanda back. "Clown Belt!" His cloak separated into ribbons and wrapped around Kanda, immobilizing him. "How about we chat a little instead of fighting? I don't think you should fight with those wounds of yours. Where did you get them anyway?"

Kanda spat at Allen. "As if I have anything to say to an Akuma!"

Allen frowned. "Akuma? What're you…oh." Allen stifled a laugh. "You can't be serious, Kanda! You're saying that level two's the one who wounded you like that! I thought you were tougher than that!"

"Shut up, you stupid moyashi!" He struggled to free himself.

"Stop struggling, Kanda, you'll only make those injuries of your worse."

"Like you care!"

Allen smiled sadly. "That's the problem, I _do_ care. I care too much about my former comrades."

"What're you…"

"Wheeere arrrre yooooou exorciiiiiist?" The Akuma smashed through the ceiling. "Ah, there you are! I was hoping you wouldn't be dead yet. And what's this?" He spotted Allen, Lala, and Guzoru. "I found the Innocence and the boy too! What a lucky day!"

"You're still here?" Allen asked, "I thought you would've found something better to do already."

"Nope, hunting humans and Innocence is what I'm doing!" the Akuma yelped joyfully.

"W-What's going on?" Lala asked. She looked at Allen and the Akuma. "You two look exactly the same!"

"Not really," Allen said, "He's more of a mirror opposite." He let go of Kanda. "Stay here, I'll take care of this."

Kanda thrust his sword into Allen, blood spurting from the wound. "You'd think I'd trust someone like you?" Allen fell to the ground.

"Allen!" Lala cried out. She ran over to him. "Are you okay?"

Allen smiled. "Yeah, it's nothing." He looked up at Kanda, who went to attack the level two. "Nothing I can't handle anyway. You should go back to Guzoru."

Lala nodded and went back to the old man. "There you are, Lala," Guzoru muttered weakly. "What's going on?"

Lala crouched closer to Guzoru. "Nothing, we'll be fine."

Kanda was in the air fighting the Akuma. They exchanged forceful blows to each other, neither of them gaining the upper hand. "What's wrong, exorcist?" The Akuma taunted, "You're getting slower!" He swiped at Kanda.

"Che, damned Akuma…First Illusion: Beasts of the Underworld!"

"Ha, that again?" the Akuma dodged gracefully. "You really need to get some new mo-" Mugen was lodged in the Akuma's stomach. "What a clever trap…" The Akma fell to the ground, next to Lala and Guzoru.

Kanda walked in front of Lala and Guzoru. "You," Kanda said, pointing at Lala, "You're the Innocence, right?"

Lala bit her lip. "Why? You're not going to…kill me, are you?" Kanda thrust his Mugen in front of Lala's chest.

"My mission is the retrieve the Innocence, I don't care about killing a stupid doll."

A claw grabbed Kanda and pulled him to the ground. "Now Kanda," Allen said, "Isn't it kinda cruel to cut up a cute girl like Lala?"

Kanda broke free of Allen and readied his Mugen. "You're really getting on my nerves, you know that, moyashi?"

"Ah ha ha, I should tell you." He put his claw against Kanda's throat. "My name's Allen."

"Che, like I care, moyashi." He leapt up into the air. "First Illusion: Beasts of the Underwor-"

Allen leapt up and threw Kanda at the ground. "If you do that, Kanda, you might end up hurting Miss Lala."

"Shut up." Kanda dived at Allen and slashed.

Allen blocked it once more with his cloak. "You know, Kanda, I always wanted to fight you. But I never thought we would be fighting like this."

"Shut up!" Kanda swiftly moved behind Allen and rapidly slashed, while Allen skillfully dodged them.

Allen jumped over Kanda. "Edge's End!" Allen swiped down, and a huge dust cloud filled the air. When the dust cleared, Allen's claw was right beside Kanda.

"Why didn't you finish me?" Kanda asked.

"Because, you were my friend." Allen answered.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaauuuuuuuuuggggggghhhhhhhhh!!" Allen and Kanda looked towards the source of the scream.

Lala was on the floor dead, the wounded Akuma behind her holding the Innocence. "Looook what I've goooot!"

Guzoru held Lala in his arms. "Lala, are you okay? Lala…LALA!!"

"You…" Allen dashed at the Akuma. "YOU BASTARD!!" He swiped madly at the Akuma.

"Eh, what's this? Why are you so angry?"

"I promised myself…" A tear fell to the ground. "I promised to myself before I arrived that I wouldn't let this happen again!" He slashed the Akuma.

"You really are an interesting human, aren't you?"


	9. The 7th Memory

**Short chapter today. Mostly because I wanted to end it at a point that would leave an impact, but also because I'm really tired right now.**

**Allen gets some new abilities today! They're musically related, and I'll explain fully their effects later. Of course, you're welcome to infer what the effects are via the review system. So review!**

**Man-Gray.D owns Katsura Hoshino :****Disclaimer**

* * *

**The 7****th**** Memory: Etude of the Fallen Sky**

Blood, it was everywhere. The blood of the Finders polluted the ground, the all too familiar scent of death hanging in the atmosphere. The few who were alive were seriously injured, and the ones well enough to walk were in shock at the death's of their comrades. In any war, sacrifices are made, are unavoidable. Even though Allen Walker knew this, he chose not to accept the horrible truth, not to accept the bleak promises of death.

Allen chose to hope. Hope that there could be a war with no sacrifices, a war where blood didn't have to be shed. He wanted to save as many as he could, and honor the wishes of the fallen. That is what Allen believed.

That is why the sight of Lala's broken body affected him so harshly.

Allen grabbed the level two in his hand, tears glistening in his eyes. "Keheheh!" the Akuma laughed. "Are you going to kill me, boy? Well ya can't!" the Akuma extended its claw behind Allen. "Edge's End!" Allen let go of the Akuma and backed off. "I knew you'd do that!" the Akuma said, "We have the same body after all!" The level two charged at Allen and raised its claw. "Edge's End!" The Akuma hit Allen. "You're dead, kid! Edge's End! Edge's End! Edge's End!!"

Allen grabbed the Akuma's claw. "Don't even think…" Noah crosses appeared on Allen's forehead. "DON'T EVEN THINK WE'RE THE SAME!!" He drew a sword from his left arm.

"Eh?" The Akuma said, "I don't have that ability." It shrugged. "Ah well, might as well take…" It noticed Allen's forehead. "…it." The Akuma fell on its back. "Y-You, you're a N-"

Allen stuck his sword through the Akuma and ripped off its second skin. "Now how shall I kill you, Mr. Akuma?"

The Akuma bit its lip. "I-I'm sorry Master Noah, if I knew who you we're, I'd-"

Allen smirked. "You'd what?" He sliced his sword through the Akuma. "Would you still kill Miss Lala?"

The level two fell to the ground, it's upper half dangling off of the rest of its body. "It huuurrrrrrrts! It freakin HUUUURRRRRRTTTSSSS!!"

Allen took off his mask. "Look into my eyes, Akuma. What do you see?"

"I-I see…" Blood leaked from its eyes. "My…" It threw its head back. "AaaAaauuUUuUGgGGGgGHhHHhHH!!"

Allen sliced the Akuma into pieces. "Requiem of Darkness: Second Movement." The remains of the Akuma were engulfed in black flames. The soul of the Akuma hovered in the air for all to see.

"P-Please…I'm sorry…"

Allen put his mask back on and tuned away. "Requiem of Darkness: First Movement."

Chains sprung up from the ground and wrapped around the soul. Black blood from the Akuma's soul trickled down the chains, which wove itself tighter and tighter around the soul. "Please…don't…" The chains pulled the soul back down to where the chains emerged from. The otherworldly screams of the Akuma's soul resounded where it once was.

Allen picked up the Innocence that fell from the Akuma's hand. "I'm sorry I couldn't save you…"

"Second Illusion: Double Illusion Blades!" Kanda dived at Allen, brandishing two swords. "Eight Flowers Praying Mantis!"

"Cross Grave!" Allen raised his sword and a giant cross emitted from it, shielding him. "Hello, Kanda. I'm glad to see you're okay."

"What did you do?" Kanda muttered.

"Eh, what was that, Kanda?" Allen asked.

Kanda swiftly moved behind Allen and struck him in the shoulder. "Don't screw with me, what the hell did you do to that Akuma!?"

Allen felt the spot where Kanda cut him. "What does it matter? Weren't you trying to get rid of him?" He tightened his grip on the wound. "Overture of Sorrow." A light engulfed Allen and his injuries started to heal. "But if you really must know," Allen said as he wiped off the blood on his hand, "I made that Akuma repent for its sins."

"What are you, moyashi?" Kanda asked cautiously.

Allen smiled solemnly. "I'm Allen Walker, nothing more, nothing less. However…" He returned the sword to his arm. "I'm also a Noah, one of your God's enemies."

Kanda attacked Allen again, only to be blocked by Allen's cloak. "Che, as long as you're an enemy…" His pupil morphed into three dots. "I can go all out on you! Taboo Three Illus-"

Allen gripped Kanda's throat. "Requiem of Darkness: Fourth Movement." Allen started to sing.

"Che…what…is this…" Kanda muttered. "M-My head…" Allen dropped Kanda to the ground, where he dropped his Mugen and put both his hands on his head. "What…what the hell are you doing, moyashi?"

Allen stared blankly into Kanda's eyes, the crosses on his forehead pulsing. "Relieve your worst memories." Kanda fell to the floor, unconscious. Allen picked up his Mugen and broke it in half. "Sleep well, exorcist." Allen blankly stared at Lala's Innocence shard in his left palm. "D…destroy the Innocence…" He tightened his grip on the Innocence. "De…stroy…"

"Lala?" A voice called out weakly. "Lala…what happened to you?"

Allen put his other hand to his head. The crosses faded away, and light returned to his eyes. "What…what was I doing?" He saw Kanda on the ground. "Kanda? What are you doing?" The memories came flooding back into his head. "Oh right…him again…"

"Lala?" Guzoru held the broken doll in his hands. "What happened to you Lala?"

Allen walked over to the pair and offered the Innocence in his hand. "Here, put this back inside of her," He said as he gave the Innocence to Guzoru.

Guzoru placed the Innocence into Lala's chest carefully. "Please Lala, sing once more…"

Lala twitched once. "A…song?" She got up slowly and stared blankly into Guzoru's eyes. "Would you like a song, Mr. Human?"

"Lala…" Tears fell from Guzoru's eyes.

Lala extended her hand towards Guzoru. "Mr. Human, I am a doll. Let me sing to you."

Guzoru coughed violently, large amounts of blood coming out of his mouth. "You'll sing for me?" Guzoru used the remainder of his strength to put his hand on her shoulder. "Lala…"

"I love you."

"Mr. Human?" Lala shook Guzoru gently. "Mr. Human, are you sleeping?" Guzoru made no movements. "Then I'll sing a lullaby."

Allen clenched his fists. "Why…why does it have to be like this again…" He let Lala's lullaby wash over him. "I had the power to stop it, but it happened anyway…"

A shadow appeared in the back of his mind. _That's because you're too soft, Allen Walker._

--

"Gah, what's taking Allen so long, Lero!?" Lero was levitating through the corridors towards the direction where Allen went. "He leaves me behind and takes forever to get back, Lero! When I get my hands on him…oh wait, I don't have hands, Lero."

A lullaby echoed through the corridor.

"That lullaby, Lero." Lero tilted his head. "Isn't that the song Allen heard before, Lero?"

Lero floated into the moonlit room Allen and Lala were in. "Ah, there you are, Lero! What's taking you so long, Lero!" He saw Lala singing. "Isn't that the Innocence, Lero? What are you doing just sitting there, Lero?" He levitated next to Allen. "If you're just going to sit here, Lero, then I'll destroy the doll myself!" Allen grabbed Lero. "W-w-w-w-w-w-what are you doing, Lero!? That hurts!"

Allen glared at Lero. "If you even touch Lala," He said menacingly, "I'll kill you."

Lero stared at Allen. "W-w-what's wrong, Lero?"

"I failed…" Allen said sadly. "I failed in my mission…"

"What are you talking about, Lero. We've got the Innocence, Lero, and an exorcist too!"

"I know but…"

"Kanda?" a light female voice said. "Kanda! What happened to you!?"

Allen turned around.

"L-Lenalee…"


	10. The 8th Memory

**This is the last entry in the Ghost of Martel arc. Most of it is dialogue, so expect to hear a lot of voices in your head. There's some AllenxLenalee in this chapter (if you could call it that). But it's not really a lot. Just…enough to keep the story moving.**

**I have important news! There's a poll on my profile that determines the very fate of this fic! So you must vote if you want to see more chapters!**

**Disclaimer****: Short author's note today…anyways, I do not own D. Gray-Man. That privilege belongs to Hoshino Katsura sensei, who I don't know if Katsura's a guy or a girl! Seriously, what is Katsura!?**

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**The 8****th**** Memory: Reunion**

_That's because you're too soft, Allen Walker…_

Allen looked up at the shadow hovering over him. "You…why are you in my head again?"

The shadow titled its head. _ I exist inside of you, and yet you still ask who I am. It should be obvious by now._ The shadow touched Allen's face. _I'm the fourteenth Noah, the Musician. I am you, and you are me._

Allen swatted the shadow's hand. "No, I'm myself. You're just inside of me."

The shadow shrugged. _Believe what you wish to believe, I'm going to turn you into a servant of the Earl eventually. It's only a matter of time._

"What do you mean?" Allen asked. "I thought you opposed the Earl."

_Really? What made you think that?_

"The original fourteenth…he opposed the Earl, didn't he? Why would you want me to follow along with the Earl's plan of destruction if the old you wished to stop him?"

_Henh henh henh… _The fourteenth laughed. _You haven't heard the whole story yet, have you?_

"The whole story?"

_Listen to my song, and you'll understand…_ The fourteenth opened his mouth and a melody spilled out. The melody surrounded Allen, clouding his mind. Then, as suddenly as it came, it vanished. _Do you see now, Allen Walker?_

Allen shivered. "M-Mana…"

The fourteenth smiled. _So you do understand after all._ He started to fade away. _Listen, Allen Walker, you may be able to control me now and use my power for that twisted scheme of yours, but one day I'll become too much for you to handle. And unlike last time, there won't be any pathetic little brother to hold me back._ The Noah raised his arms as the rest of him faded away. _I am the Musician, and my song will engulf the world…_

Allen opened his eyes to Lala and Guzoru's bodies. "…Lero, then I'll just destroy the doll myself!" Allen grabbed Lero. "W-w-what are you doing, Lero!? That hurts!"

Allen glared viciously at Lero. "If you even touch Lala, I'll kill you."

Lero stared at Allen. "W-w-what's wrong, Lero?"

Allen's eyes fell to the ground. "I failed…I failed in my mission…"

"What are you talking about, Lero? We've got the Innocence, Lero, and an exorcist too!"

"I know, but…"

"Kanda?" Allen's eyes widened at the voice. "Kanda, what happened to you!?"

Allen turned around. "L-Lenalee…"

"Kanda!" Lenalee ran over to the unconscious swordsman. "Who did this to you, was it an Akuma?" Kanda stared at Lenalee with blank eyes. "Kanda, answer me!"

One word escaped from Kanda's lips. "Mo…ya…shi…"

"Moyashi?" Lenalee asked, "Why would you be talking about bean sprouts at a time like this!?"

"Lenalee I…" Allen raised his hand towards her.

Lenalee finally noticed Allen. "Hey you, do you know what happened here?" Allen bit his lip. "Ah, are you okay? You have blood on your forehead."

"Lenalee…" A tear fell from his eyes. "Lenalee, I'm sorry!" He bowed his head.

"Sorry?" Lenalee tilted her head. "What are you talking about? And how do you know my name?"

"Oh yeah…this you has no memory of me." He looked at Lenalee and smiled. "My name is Allen Walker." He extended his hand. "It's nice to meet you, Miss Lenalee."

"Um right…" She took Allen's hand and shook it. "So, do you know what's going on here? And what's with that umbrella golem behind you?"

"You don't know who I am, Lero!" Lero said angrily. "I'm the umbrella of the Millen-"

Allen put his hand over Lero's mouth. "Ah ha ha, don't mind Lero. He's kinda crazy."

"Crazy, Lero!?" Lero tried to shout, "You're the one who's crazy Master Walk-augghhhh!" Allen's grip tightened.

"A talking golem?" Lenalee commented. "That's unusual." She tried to pick up Kanda. "Well anyway, we need to get Kanda to a hospital, fast." She struggled under the weight.

"Ah, let me help you with him!" Allen moved to support Kanda.

Lenalee shook her head. "No, I'm okay. Besides, I couldn't ask a complete stranger to help me out, that would be rude." She tripped on Kanda's robe. "Ahhh!"

Allen caught her. "You know, Miss Lenalee. You should accept the help others offer you. You never know when you might need it." He smiled.

"Um…okay." She blushed as she realized she was in Allen's arms. "We should go now!" She quickly left Allen's arms and went to Kanda. "I can handle Kanda, but you should get that old man and that singing girl."

Allen smiled sadly. "No, I think it's best if we leave the two of them here." Lenalee looked at Allen curiously as he picked up Kanda's Mugen pieces. "I'll tell you on the way to the hospital."

--

"Oh, so that's what happened." Allen and Lenalee were sitting in front of a hospital bed, where Kanda was lying unconscious. Allen told Lenalee everything that went on in Martel, excluding the parts where he fought against the Akuma and Kanda. "So Guzoru died, huh? I think it was really sweet of Kanda to let Lala sing to him until she dies with him…"

"Yeah, right…" Allen scratched his head knowing that Kanda would never actually do that kind of thing. "But Miss Lenalee, what are you doing here?"

"Oh yeah, I never told you that, did I?" She bit her fingernail in thought. "Well, I was assigned with Kanda to do this mission, but I was a couple hours late in leaving from the Order. I hopped on a passing train to get here, and well…" She shrugged. "You know the rest."

"I do…" He stared at Lenalee. "Hey, if I told you I love you, what would you do?"

Lenalee started blushing. "What are you talking about!? We've just met!"

Allen snickered. "I know, I just wanted to scare you a little!"

Lenalee lightly bopped Allen on the head. "You idiot. You flirt with me and then you say you didn't." A small smile escaped her lips. "Geez…"

"I made you smile, Lenalee."

"What?" She stared at Allen. "What are you talking about?"

Allen looked up at the ceiling. "Well, it was just that I haven't seen you smile once since I met you, so I just thought it would be nice to see you smile." He grinned at Lenalee. "Is that a problem?"

Lenalee smiled softly. "No, not really. I'm just glad to know that Kanda's okay. The doctors said he'll be up in about a week, probably less with his condition…" She bit her lip. "I probably shouldn't have mentioned that. Top secret business at the Black Order and all."

"That's okay, I know."

"Eh, you do?" Lenalee looked into Allen's eyes. "Exactly how much about the Order did Kanda tell you about?"

Allen shrugged. "Nothing much. I…I just noticed that Kanda healed pretty quickly in battle."

"Okay…" Lenalee stretched her arms. "If Kanda really told you about his condition, I might've started suspecting you of something." Allen stared at Lenalee. "What? It was a joke, you know?"

"You…you really are beautiful, Lenalee…" Allen said softly.

Lenalee blushed. "Are you just trying to scare me again, Allen? It's not as funny the second time, you know that?"

Allen bit his lip. "Yeah…" He smiled sadly at Lenalee. "Can I ask you something?"

"I guess…as long as you're not going to ask me to go out with you or anything like that."

"Why did it take you a few hours to go after Kanda?"

Lenalee cocked her head. "Well, nothing really. It's just that I found an injured Innocence host in a graveyard and took her to the Order. She was unconscious for about a week already, so I was worried about her…" She bit her lip.

"Lenalee…" Allen asked quietly. "This girl…did she have dark blue hair and was wearing a short skirt and long striped socks?"

"How'd you know?" Lenalee asked suspiciously. "That's the girl I found. I'm not sure about her name, but I think…I think her name was Road something."

Allen's eyes widened. He stood up. "I have to go check up on Lala and Guzoru now." He said emotionlessly.

"Why?" Lenalee asked. "You've only been gone a couple hours."

"I'm…I'm just worried." Allen started walking out. "I'll be going now."

"Wait." Lenalee grabbed Allen's hand. "Will I see you again?"

"I don't know…" Allen told her, "Why would you want to see me again, Miss Lenalee?"

Lenalee shrugged. "Mostly because I've enjoyed talking with you. But also because…" She bit her lip. "I'm sorry, this'll probably sound stupid."

"No, that's okay, go ahead."

"Well…" She looked at Allen. "A part of me feels like it's screaming for you. Like you were some old friend I've lost long ago."

"Oh, really?" Allen slipped his hand out of hers. "That's how I feel too." He walked out of the room. "Goodbye, Miss Lenalee…"

Lenalee watched Allen walk away. "Goodbye, Allen Walker…"

--

Allen walked into the sandy room where Lala was singing. "There you are, Lero!" Lero crashed into Allen. "I can't believe you made me stay behind _again_, Lero! Do you have any idea how_ boring _it is to hover and wait for you while listening to that stupid doll sing!? Lero."

Allen glanced at Lero. "Come on, Lero, we're going home."

"What!?" Lero cried, obviously shocked. "What are you talking about, Lero? Aren't you at least gonna take the Innocence away from that girl, Lero? You can't be saying we came all the way down here for nothing, Lero!" Allen grabbed Lero tightly. "Not again, Lero!"

"I _said_ we're going _home_, Lero." Allen said to the golem. "We can leave the Innocence for the exorcists, we have no use for it."

"But what if it's the Heart, Lero?"

"It's not." Allen said simply.

"How can you know for sure, Lero?"

"Because…" He smiled at Lero. "I do."

"Gyaahhh! I hate it when you do that, Lero!" Lero frowned. "Fine, we'll go home. But the Earl's gonna be pissed at you for not taking the Innocence!" Lero started to fly away, carrying Allen underneath him.

"Oh well." Allen said simply. "I'm pretty sure I'll only get a short lecture. Besides…" He took one final look at the singing doll. "He'll be happy that I'm back in time for dinner." The pair faded into the darkness.

--

Three days have past since Allen left. By that time, Lenalee went to Martel and found Lala on top of Guzoru. She had finally stopped singing. Lenalee solemnly removed the Innocence from Lala's chest.

"Al…len…" Lala whispered as Lenalee removed the Innocence. "Thank…you…"

Lenalee briefly thought about Lala's last words, then buried the doll and the human in the same grave. "Rest in peace…Lala and Guzoru…" Lenalee stood up, a single tear falling from her eyes.

"Che, what are you crying for?" Kanda walked over next to her.

"Kanda…" Lenalee threw her arms around him. "Kanda, you're awake!"

"Of course I am, now get off of me!"

Lenalee quickly released him. She bowed her head. "Sorry, Kanda."

"Whatever…" Kanda looked around. "Where's that moyashi?"

"Moyashi?" Lenalee repeated. "What in the world are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about…what's his name again? Al…Al-something."

"Allen Walker?" Lenalee offered.

"Yeah, that moyashi." Kanda clenched his fist. "When I find him I'm going to pay him back for what he did to my Mugen…"

"What _he_ did?" Lenalee asked, confused. "I thought you just overdid it with your Mugen, Kanda."

"Who the hell told you that?" Kanda said, grabbing her arm.

"A-Allen Walker did…"

"Che…" He let go of Lenalee. "That moyashi, he's an agent of the Millennium Earl."

Something inside Lenalee broke. "What…what do you mean an agent of the Millennium Earl?"

"I mean what I said." Kanda said harshly. "I don't know what kind of lies that moyashi told you, but _he's_ the one who broke my Innocence, and _he's_ the one who put me into that coma!" He turned away from Lenalee. "If I didn't have to deal with those memories every day, I might've been out for a longer time…" He glanced at Lenalee. "Hey, are you okay? We need to get back to headquarters."

"I-I'm sorry." She said shakily. She wiped a few tears from her eyes.

"Let's get back to headquarters."


	11. Intermission II

**Holy spazzledorfs, TWO chapters in one day!? How bizarre… Originally, this was going to be a continuation of the last Intermission chapter, but I got this idea as I was writing the last chapter. This saga will probably be about two, three parts tops. For some reason, I felt that my style was a little different in this chapter, maybe because of all the time-skips.**

**Some language in this chapter (if you can call that language) but you can totally interpret it as something else. Like flippyshippy. But even though there are two chapters in one day, I still want you people to review the last one. Why? Because, if you don't, I won't do double chapters anymore.**

**Disclaimer****: D. Gray-man blah blah blah.**

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**Intermission II: The World According to Mana Walker: Part 1**

He killed his mom. So what?

He killed his dad. So what?

He killed every person who came across him, friends, neighbors, strangers, he killed every singe living being in the town. So what? They were all sinners, sinners who went against the word of God. God wished for this world to perish, God wished for the deaths of all corrupt humans, and God wanted to flood the world with darkness. That is why God created the Akuma, to spread death to this corrupt world.

At least, that's what the Musician told him. The Musician is what he referred to the shadow in his mind as. The Musician had taken hold of his being, had shown him the truth about all humans. The human race had to be cleansed, that was the only way for them to find salvation. Salvation in death, and salvation as Akuma.

That is what Mako Walker believed. That is what the Musician believed. Mako's existence as a human had ended, Mako's existence as a Noah had begun. And as a Noah, Mako had to push away all the human emotions he had. That was the only way Mako believed he could be cleansed. However, to Mako there was one exception to his cleansing.

Love. Love for his brother, Mana Walker.

Mako would do anything to protect Mana. The bonds forged between them through the years of abusive parents and uncaring neighbors were unbreakable. Mako and Mana were two halves of the same whole. As long as they had each other, their worlds were complete.

Which is why Mako allowed the fourteenth to take his body.

--

"Ma-koooooooo!" Mana yelled, "It's time to get up!"

Mako waved his hand in the air. "Go away, Mana. I'm sleepy."

"But Makaaaa!" Mana whined, "If you don't wake up, we'll be late for school!"

Mako yawned. "I don't care. It's not like school's done anything for me before." He closed his eyes.

Mana frowned. "Hey Mako, look at this."

Mako opened his eyes a crack and saw a flower. "What's that?"

Mana grinned. "Surprise!" He pressed the flower and a stream of water came flowing out of it.

"God, Mana, you're such a clown!" Mako said, laughing. He got out of his bed. "I suppose I have to go to school now. Besides, if I skip school again, Mom and Dad will probably murder me."

"Don't say that!" Mana looked at his brother, his eyes watering. "If big brother Mako goes away…I don't know what I'd do."

Mako smiled sadly. "Don't worry Mana, I won't ever leave you alone."

--

Mako dropped his bag. "Why…" he whispered. "Why did you take Mana away from me!?"

Mako's father shook his head. "You're grades are falling, Mako, and it's your brother's fault you're failing. As the heir to the family name, you must be perfect. Mana was too much of a clown to be around you."

"Screw the family, I want Mana back."

Mako's father struck him. "Don't you ever let me hear you say that again, Mako! The family is everything, you got that!?"

Mako glared at his father. "If family is everything, then why did you send Mana away?"

"Stupid kid." His father kicked him in the gut and sent him spiraling to the wall. "Mana was a mistake. You were the only one we needed."

"Oh…so my brother's a mistake, huh?" Mako got up slowly, wiping the blood off his mouth. Blood ran down from his forehead. "Well then I suppose the parents are mistakes too!"

Mako started to sing.

--

"Why…why…_why_?" Mako was covered in blood, the mangled bodies of his parents in front of him. The crosses on his head bled furiously. "Why did I kill them?"

_It's because they deserve it._

"Who's that?" Mako asked. "Who the hell are you!?"

_I'm you, Mako Walker._ A shadow appeared behind him._ It's time you fulfill your destiny…_

--

"Good evening, Mr. Walker. :3" The Millennium Earl appeared behind him. "How are you doing? :3"

Mako looked up at the Earl with a dark look in his eyes. "It's nice to finally meet you, Duke Millennium."

"Eh, he looks perfectly sane to me, Millenie!" A small girl walked over to Mako. "Hi, I'm Road Kamelot, your new sibling."

Mako bowed. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Kamelot."

Road bent over to examine Mako. "Hey Millenie, this guy seems totally fine with his new existence. We didn't need to convince him at all." She unwrapped a lollipop. "He's completely different from me, Duke Millennium."

"That's because he isn't you, Road. :3 Young Mako is himself, and nobody else."

Mako shook his head. "No, I'm not just myself." A wide grin appeared on his face. "I am the Musician, the fourteenth, and I will cleanse this world!"

--

"Ma…ko?" Mana woke up inside a small carriage, his face covered in cuts and bruises. "Mako, where are you?" He rubbed his eyes. "Ow." He winced at the pain. "Oh yeah…Dad beat me up and threw me in this carriage." Tears fell from his eyes. "I want my big brother!" He whined.

"Oy, shut up back there!" the carriage driver yelled. "I'm not getting paid to listen to your stupid whining!"

Mana stuck his tongue out at the driver, even though the driver couldn't see him. "I don't care how much you've been paid, give me Mako back!"

The carriage came to a sudden stop. "Listen, kid." The driver said, brandishing a knife. "I only have to take you far away from your family. If I wanted to I can kill you, got that?"

Mana was staring behind the driver. "Who's that?"

A raggedy traveler was walking towards the carriage, his clothes tattered and dirty. "A little help, please…" The man said, holding up a cup.

The driver gave the traveler a certain finger. "I don't have time to deal with dirty travelers like you."

"Oh, is that so?" His skin ripped open with a horrible wrenching sound, a level two Akuma rising from the torn skin. "I guess I'll just have to help myself!"

"What the f-" The Akuma shot a couple bullets inside of the driver. Pentacles bloomed on the driver and he crumbled to dust.

Mana stared in horror at the Akuma. "Y-you k-killed him."

"Well, duh." The Akuma said. He pointed his hand at Mana. "And you're next, kid."

Mana buried his head in his hands. "Mako, save me!!"

"Judgment." A beam of light shot through the level two. "Stupid Akuma, you're blocking my sunlight."

Mana looked up and saw a man with red hair. "M-Mako?"

"Mako? Who the hell is that?" He extended his hand towards Mana. "My name's General Cross." Mana reached out to take Cross's hand, when Cross suddenly pulled his hand back, forcing Mana to fall flat on his face. "What are you doing?" Cross asked Mana.

"I thought you were going to help me up." Mana told Cross.

"What?" Cross shook his head. "Stupid kid, I just wanted the bottle of rum sitting behind you. Besides, I only let beautiful people touch me." A yellow flying object started flittering around Mana. "What, Timcampy, don't tell me you actually _like_ this filthy brat." Timcampy landed on top of Mana's head.

"H-hey!" Mana said, "That tickles!" He waved Timcampy off. Tim just flittered around Mana's head then nested in his hair again.

"Hey, Tim, it's time to go." Cross started to walk away. Timcampy followed.

"W-wait!" Mana quickly got up and followed General Cross. "C-Can I come with you?"

Cross studied Mana for a few seconds. "That depends, do you know how to pay off debts?"

"Eh?"

"Well if you want to travel with me as filthy as you are, you'll have to pay me back." Cross grinned. "Is that a problem?"

"N-No." Mana muttered. "I know some clown tricks and how to chea- play cards." He looked up at Cross. "Can I travel with you, sir? At least, until I find my brother, Mako?"

The general shrugged. "Well, only since Timcampy's taken a liking to you." Tim sat on Mana's head. "From now on, you'll be paying off my debts. But first…" He reached into his bag and brought out some make-up. "Put this on, I can't stand to look at your ugly bruises."

Mana took the make-up. "Um, how do I put this on, Mister Cross?"

"Figure it out." Cross said simply.

"O-okay…" Mana tried to apply the make-up, only to completely and utterly fail.

Cross sighed. "Here." He knelt down. "I'll do it. But only because I can't stand those bruises."


	12. The 9th Memory

**And so the story shifts back to Road. I'd like to tell you all something, I've inserted another OC type character. I'm considering Mako an OC type character, and the girl who makes an appearance in this chapter in an OC too! Well…a short lived one anyway…**

**Where is this story going? I honestly have no clue…**

**Disclaimer****: The Millennium Earl owns you, and Hoshino Katsura owns the Earl. So, Katsura owns you.**

* * *

**The 9****th**** Memory: The Dreams of Our Nightmares**

"Good morning, Miss Kamelot."

Road opened her eyes. She was in the same dark room as before, crucified on the same cross. The same cuts on her body and the same blood that flowed out of them. "If you want to kill me, just do it already. I'm tired of this."

Allen cocked his head. "I can't kill you, Miss Kamelot, you have to kill yourself."

"Heh…you've been saying the same thing for the past few months already. Can't you get some new lines or something?" Road brought her head up and looked Allen straight in the eye. "Or is stabbing me all you can do?"

Allen smiled. "Go to sleep, Miss Kamelot."

_Thwack_.

"Good evening, Miss Kamelot." Allen smiled sweetly at the injured Road as she woke up. Road glanced at Allen, then closed her eyes. "What's wrong, Road? Are you already sick of me?"

A small laugh escaped Road. "I just think that if I couldn't see your ugly face, then maybe you'd go away already."

"I thought you thought I was handsome?" Allen asked.

Road attempted to shrug. "Maybe I do, maybe I don't. It's not like it really matters right now anyway." She looked at Allen. "You're not gonna let me go anyway."

Allen embraced Road warmly. "You don't know that. I could decide to let you go out of love."

"Stupid…" Road bit him fiercely on the neck, blood spurting out of the wound. "You can't say you love me when it's so obvious you hate me."

Allen backed away from Road, smiling. "Some people hate out of love, you know that?" He started melting into a reflective puddle. "And you know how I love to hate you."

Road licked the blood off her lips. "Whatever, in the end I'm still stuck in this cross, and you disappear while laughing at me."

_Ah, but Road,_ Allen's voice spoke through the air. _This is still your world, I'm just living in it._

"I don't really care…" She fell asleep, blood dripping from her mouth.

A hand gripped her throat, waking her up. "You can't fall asleep now," a deformed Allen said, "If you fall asleep now, I won't have enough time for one last game with you."

Road stared into the white circles that made up Allen's eyes. "What are you talking about?"

Allen grinned evilly. "Like I said before, Miss Kamelot, this is your world, and I just live in it." The area dissolved into darkness, and Road fell off the cross. She rubbed the spots on her body that was bleeding. "Are you ready to play one last game in your world, Road?" A door sprung up from the ground.

Road wiped some blood off her mouth. "Bring it, bastard." She pushed open the door and went inside. The darkness disappeared and was replaced by a simple white room with one bed in it. On the bed a small blond girl was sleeping, her air covering her face. She was cuddling a small stuffed animal.

"What kind of game is this, Allen?" Road called to the air, "You just brought me to some retarded room with some sleeping girl."

_Just watch, Miss Kamelot._ If Road could see Allen, she was sure he would have a grin on his face.

An alarm clock next to the girl started ringing. The girl in the bed tried to reach the alarm clock to stop it. "Five more minutes…" She groaned as she hit the alarm clock.

Road stared at the girl. "Why does this brat seem so familiar?"

"Mistress Kryst!" A voice called out from the floor below. "Mistress Kryst, it's time to wake up!"

"K-Kryst?"

The girl in the bed waved her hand in the air. "I don't wanna…just give me a couple more hours…zzz…"

"But Mistress Kryst, you don't want to be late for your birthday party!"

Those words instantly got the girl to sit upright. "Oh crap!" Mistress Kryst shouted, slapping herself on the head. "I totally forgot it was my birthday!"

"Wait…birthday?" Road fell to the ground. "No…she can't be…I don't wanna see this!"

Kryst leapt off her bed and walked straight through Road. "Don't cut the cake yet, Mother, I want to blow out the candles!" She skipped down the stairs.

Road turned around and reached out for Kryst. "Wait, don't go! Don't-"

Gunfire echoed throughout the building. From inside the room, Road saw blood splatter on the walls in the hallways in front of her. "N-No…" Road's hand fell. "Not again…"

An alarm clock went off behind her. "Five more minutes…" Road turned around to see Kryst lying in her bed.

"W-What's going on?"

"Mistress Kryst! Mistress Kryst, it's time to get up!"

Kryst instantly sat up. "Oh crap, I totally forgot it was my birthday!" She ran straight through Road again.

"No…" Road whispered. "Don't…" Gunfire echoed once more throughout the building. Blood once more spilled against the walls. "Stop it!"

An alarm clock rang. 'Five more minutes…"

"STOP!!" Road ran out of the room, tears flowing from her eyes. "I don't want to see this again…" She bumped into Kryst.

"Ah, good morning Road!" She said happily. "I'm glad you showed up to my party today!" Road stared at Kryst. "What, is there something wrong? Is this about your stuffed animal again?" Road stayed silent. Kryst sighed. "Look, I already told you I was sorry for breaking it, I'll get you a new one tomorrow, okay?" she pushed past Road and started running down the stairs.

"No wait!" Road shouted, finally regaining her senses. "Don't go down there-"

A single bullet came flying up the stairs, pinning Kryst to the wall. Her blood splattered to the wall in front of her room. Kryst raised one trembling hand to Road. "R-Road…" Pentacles flooded her body.

"No!" Road turned around and ran away from Kryst's body. She ran all the way to the other side of the house, and shut herself in one of the rooms. She sunk down to the ground and buried her head in her hands. "Kryst…"

"Yes, Road?" Kryst was standing in front of her, perfectly fine. "Is there anything you want from me?"

Road's eyes widened. "K-Kryst…you're…"

"I'm what? Still pissed off that you broke my favorite candle?" Kryst glared angrily at Road. "Do you still think that I had an obsession with that candle, since it was the only thing that connected me to my dead father!?"

"No, Kryst…don't…"

Kryst grabbed Road's arm. "Do you have any idea how much that candle meant to me? It was the only thing that kept me from despairing, _the only thing_! And now that it's gone…" Kryst pulled out a stuffed bear. "Remember this, Road? I gave it to you to signify our bonds as friends."

"Please…don't…" Road whispered.

Kryst ripped the bear in half. "We're over Road. Goodbye…" Kryst turned around.

"Wait!" Road cried out, "Don't go! If you go you'll…"

Kryst turned around. "I'll what, be killed by an Akuma? Sorry Road, but that already happened, thanks to you." She crumbled away into dust.

"W-Why…" Road stared at the blanket of dust Kryst left behind. "Why is this happening?"

"I'm sorry, Kryst." A girl with bandages on her head appeared in front of Road. "I didn't mean to…" The phone rang. The girl instantly ran over to pick it up. "Hello?"

"Hey…I'm sorry about what I said earlier…"

The girl bit her lip. "Kryst. Why are you calling?"

"Well…when I tore up your stuffed bear…" Kryst's voice said, "I was just angry. Please forgive me?"

The girl bit her lip. "No."

"But my birthday's today! And if you come-"

"Do you really think that a stupid invitation to some stupid party would make everything better!? Well you're wrong, Kryst, you're _wrong_!" She viciously hung up the phone. The phone started ringing again instantly. The girl didn't answer. "I have my share of problems too…" She pulled the bandages off. A couple drops of blood fell to the floor. The girl noticed Road, who was sitting in the corner, watching her. "Oh, hello there, are you like me?"

"W-What do you mean?" Road asked her.

"Well…you know." The girl squatted in front of Road. "Have you been lying to yourself too?"

"I don't know, have you?" Road asked her, frightened for the answer.

The girl smiled sadly. "That's a stupid question, Road." She brushed some of her hair off her forehead, revealing the mark of the Noah. "You should know, since I'm you." The other Road grinned evilly and pulled out a candle. She stabbed it in Road's left eye.

"GYAHHH!!" Road screamed in pain.

The other Road smiled and faded away. Road pulled the candle out of her eye, and discovered that her eye was still there. And so was the stinging pain. Road got up from the ground, and stumbled her way across the room. She pulled open the door on the other side, and opened it.

As soon as she stepped through the door, she ran into Kryst. "Oh, Road." Kryst said happily. "How's my best friend doing? Are you here for my party?"

Road tightened her grip on the candle, and stabbed it straight in Kryst's chest.

"Oh…ha ha…it seems you've found me." Kryst's form dissolved away and the deformed Allen took its place. "So how did you enjoy my game?"

"You bastard…how dare you make me remember that…"

The deformed Allen smiled. "I just dredged this stuff up from the bottom of your memories. Don't tell me you actually _wanted_ to forget about the life you had before you accepted your existence as a Noah." Road pushed the candle further into Allen. "Ow, that hurts, you know that?"

"Of course I wanted to forget my pathetic _human_ life…" Road muttered. "I was so weak before, unable to do anything. I hated it. When I received my Noah powers…I wanted to forge a new life for me. One without any weaknesses. So I sealed away my human memories and went on living. But you…" She pulled the candle out of Allen and stabbed him in the head. "You made me remember my crappy human life!" She yelled with tears in her eyes. "You made me remember Kryst!"

Allen smiled. "I did you a favor, Road. We can't live our lives without remembering both the good and the bad." He disappeared.

"What…" Road dropped the candle. "Where the hell did you go, Allen!?"

_Don't worry, Miss Kamelot,_ Allen's voice said._ I'm still here. Like I said before, this is your world, I'm just living in it._

"Exactly what are you?" Road said to nobody.

_I used to be a part of Allen. Now I'm a part of you._ The dimension around Road suddenly shattered, like a broken mirror. _Return the curse, Road. Return the curse and except your new existence…_

"What if I don't wanna, huh!?"

_If you don't, it's not really my problem. _He yawned. _My power over you has diminished too much. Congratulations, Miss Kamelot, you've won my little game. It's time for your mind to return to your body._

"Wait," Road called out as a shining light engulfed her. "I haven't finished with you!"

_Let's play again sometime, Road Kamelot…_


	13. The 10th Memory

**Thirteen chapters what? I'm actually already at chapter thirteen…I didn't think I'd get here so quickly. I wanted to do something special for this chapter, since it's lucky number thirteen and all, but you'll just have to settle for an incredibly plot breaking chapter. That's right, Road awakens inside the Black Order! Other than that, this chapter isn't really that special.**

**Sorry about the low-brow humor I inserted into this chapter. I couldn't help it, I just had to write that before the epic part. Sure, I'm abusing Lavi, but I actually think he's cool. Which is why I abuse him. So…enjoy?**

**Disclaimer****: The angst filled characters of D. Gray-Man belong to Hoshino Katsura sensei. Which reminds me, anyone know where I can read Zone and Reverse?**

* * *

**The 10****th**** Memory: Awakening**

_Allen Walker…exactly who was he?_ Lenalee stared outside of the window inside next to where she was sitting. Kanda was meditating right across from her, oblivious to Lenalee's presence. _He seemed too nice to be my enemy. And he's not an Akuma either. _She glanced at Kanda. _If he was an Akuma…then he would've killed both me and Kanda instead of helping me bring Kanda to the hospital. So is Allen human?_ She stared at the snowy landscape beyond the train. She whispered his name to herself. "Allen Walker…"

"Che, why do you care about that moyashi anyway?" Kanda asked from his trance-like state.

"Oh," Lenalee put a hand to her lips. "Did I say that out loud?"

Kanda nodded. "If you didn't say that out loud, then I would still be meditating." He raised his hand to summon a stewardess. The stewardess handed him a container of soba. "So what does it matter about that moyashi anyway?"

"Well…" She stared at Kanda as he started eating his soba. "It's just that he was so nice to me. I can't really imagine him being an agent of the Earl. I mean, an enemy of the Order wouldn't help an exorcist, right?"

Kanda put his chopsticks down. "That moyashi has an unstable mind. While I fought him, he kept muttering this crap about 'protecting the doll,' and us being 'friends.'"

"But if he wanted to protect Lala and Guzoru, he can't be all bad, right?"

"Che, right after he spouted that nonsense about us being friends, he made me…" He turned away from Lenalee. "I'm going to finish my soba now."

Lenalee cocked her head. "What did Allen do, Kanda?"

"None of your business." Kanda finished up the rest of his soba in silence.

Lenalee stared back out at the snow covered landscape. _Allen…how come you made me feel that way?_ She put her hands to her heart. _I felt so much pain and joy for some reason…and then you went away after I told you about that girl…_ She closed her eyes. _Speaking of which…I wonder how she's doing…_

--

"Get back here you goddamn bastard!!" Road leapt up from the infirmary bed hysterically. "You can't just say those things then leave me behind like that!" She suddenly became aware of her surroundings. "Wait…where am I?"

"Eh, what's wrong with you!? Nearly giving me a heart attack…" Lavi stared up at Road, who was standing straight up on her bed. "I mean really, I was taking a nice nap when you…" Lavi started blushing suddenly.

Road cocked her head at Lavi. "What are you talking about? And why are you…" She noticed her attire, a plain hospital gown. The type that was basically a long sheet with sleeves tied around your body. Then she noticed her lack of a certain garment. And finally, she noticed that Lavi was staring up. "Eek! You freaking pervert!" She threw her pillows at Lavi. "Get away from me!"

Lavi tried to block Road's assault, but he was overwhelmed by the amount of pillows Road had. Which was a surprising amount, considering Road really only should've had one. "Ack, would you stop it! It's not like I _liked_ looking at that, and it's your fault for suddenly standing up like that!"

Road picked up an incredibly heavy looking object (use your imagination as to what it actually was). "_Die pervert._"

Lavi held up his hands in defense. "Wait, don't throw that at-" The door slammed open, and Komui, Reever, and Johnny were standing at the doorway. "Ah, thank goodness you guys showed up when you did. This girl is-"

"GET HIM!!" Reever and Johnny leapt on top of Lavi, pinning him down to the floor. Komui walked up in front of his with a strange creepy background fire behind him.

"W-what are you guys doing!?" Lavi shouted.

"Fufufufufu…" Komui held up a drill. "This is payback for stealing a hug from Lenalee earlier…"

"I thought this was because he was being rude to our guest here." Reever pointed out.

Komui put a hand to his chin, to make it look like he was deep in thought. Though he probably wasn't. "That too." He held up his drill. "I cannot risk this type of harassment to my Lenalee!"

"Um, you mean to our guest, right supervisor?" Johnny asked.

"That too!"

"N-No!" Lavi tried to break free from Reever and Johnny's grip. "I swear, it wasn't really my fault! Please, don't!"

"Fufufufu…don't worry." Komui turned on the drill. "It'll only hurt for a week."

"WAIT!!" Road leapt off from the bed. "Before you impale him, could someone please tell me what's going on here? And get me my clothes back too."

"Ah, yes." Reever pulled out a plastic bag from his person. "We had to wash them since they had so much blood on them." He tossed it to Road, who caught it.

Road glanced at him. "Thanks, I guess…" She went back to her bed and closed the curtain that came around the bed. She started to strip the gown off, and put her old clothes back on. As she pulled the gown off from her left arm, she glanced at the cross in her hand. "By the way," she said to distract herself from the cross. "Exactly who undressed me?"

"That would be my lovable adorable little sister Lenalee!" Komui cried out happily. "A saint among saints. A flower prettier than any other. A radiant beauty that-"

Reever clapped Komui's head with a clipboard. "That's enough, I think she gets it."

"Lenalee, huh?" She buttoned up her blouse and straightened out her skirt. "Then I guess I'm where I think I am." She pulled back the curtain. "Is there someone named Allen Walker in this place?"

Komui looked at Road. "Allen Walker? No, I don't believe there is. Why?"

"I see." She walked past them. "Then I guess I'll be going now."

"Wait." Komui said. "I'm afraid I can't let you go." He put his hand on her shoulder. "You are one of those chosen by God, an Innocence host."

"Innocence, huh?" Road slapped Komui's hand away from her and held up her left hand. "You mean this crap on the back on my left hand? Do you really think this is Innocence? Yeah right." She dropped her hand. "I'm a child chosen to _destroy_ your so called God, I'm one of the Noah."

"Noah, huh?" Lavi stood up from the ground. "You mean you're one of the Millennium Earl's children, right?"

Road grinned. "Of course I am, and when I get back to Duke Millennium, I'm gonna kill all of you."

"Ah yes." Komui frowned. "That was one of the things I wanted to discuss with you." He motioned at Reever, who handed him a communication golem. "Miss Kamelot, do you remember what happened about a week and a half ago?"

"How did you…" She shook her head. "Never mind. A week ago I was still sleeping wasn't I? I've been unconscious for a couple of months already, right?"

Komui smiled sadly at Road. "Time passes differently between the realms of consciousness and unconsciousness." He released the golem, which started fluttering around Road. "And since you believed you were out for a couple of months, your memories are probably a bit fuzzy so…" A beam of light shone from the golem. "I didn't want to show you this, but I think it's necessary."

"What're you…" She saw the images the golem was playing. "Oh my god…"

The golem was replaying the events of Road and the Earl's meeting in the graveyard. Road stared in shock as the memories of the graveyard came flooding back to her. She watched herself get attacked by the Akuma, and Lenalee defending her. She saw herself fly up to the Earl to plead with him, and saw how easily the Earl rejected her.

"_Allen Walker,"_ The voice of the Earl said through the video. _"That is the name of my favorite."_

Tears formed in Road's eyes as the memories of that day flooded over her. "No…" Road whispered to herself. "It's not real, I _know_ it's not real…" She stared through the tears at the Innocence in her hand. "It's definitely _not_ real."

Then she remembered what Allen had said.

"_The world you've been in the whole time is as real as you or me. There are no fakes at all. After all, the pain and despair you're feeling is real, isn't it? Everything you've been experiencing is real. The Millennium Earl really __doesn't__ remember you. My Innocence really __does__ exist within you, although I don't know why. And best of all…I really __am__ the Earl's favorite."_

"It _is_ real." Something inside of her shattered. "I really am a damned exorcist…"

"I'm sorry I had to show you that, Road," Komui said gently. "We of the science department have reviewed the recording many times to gather information, like your name for example. I haven't shown this to Lenalee yet, so she wouldn't be worried, but I showed it to you because…" He shrugged. "Well, you needed to know." He put his hand on Road's shoulder, as if to comfort her. "We need to know your true relationship with the Earl, because the story of you being a Noah is obviously false. After all, it's impossible for a Noah to contain Innocence."

"In…no…cence?" Road looked up at Komui, tears flowing out of her eyes. "So that's it, huh…" She pushed Komui away roughly and ran towards one of the cabinets. She pulled out an small, sharp surgical knife from one of the drawers. "So if I get rid of this damned Innocence, then I can be the Earl's child again, right!?" She stabbed the knife under the cross, and started to pry it out. Blood ran freely from the spot she stabbed, dripping to the ground.

"Miss Kamelot, stop!" Komui moved toward her.

"Stay away from me!" She dug the knife even deeper into her hand, pain echoing throughout her body. "I swear…if you take one step closer I'll kill all of you!" She pushed the knife all the way in under the cross. "Ah…ah…AAAUUUGHHH!" The cross separated from Road's hand, spinning to the ground. Blood splattered everywhere from the twirling cross, staining the room. An enormous amount of blood flowed outside the gaping hole in Road's hand as she fell to the ground. "There…now the Innocence is gone…now I can go home…" A green light engulfed her injured hand. "No…tell me that's _not_ happening!" A bloody cross reformed on the back of her hand. "No…"

"Listen, Road, that won't work." Komui approached her slowly, like he was approaching an injured tiger. "You're a parasitic-type, which means that the Innocence exists inside your entire body. You can't just tear off the point where it's the most focused and expect it to go away." He slowly picked up the bloodstained cross lying on the ground. "Now just calm down and let me fix those wounds of yours…" He continued walking towards her.

"I told you to STAY AWAY!!" Road backed away from him, and put the knife to her throat. "If the Innocence is inside this body…then if I kill it, then it'd go away, right?" She glanced madly around the room. "Right!?"

"Miss Kamelot, please stop." Komui said. "Killing yourself wouldn't help anyone, you know that, right?"

"Shut up!" She pressed the knife harder to her throat, the blood on the knife running down her neck. "This isn't even my real body…so I won't really die…" She tightened her grip. "I won't die just because this body does!"

"Extend." Lavi pulled out his hammer and extended the base towards Road, causing it to hit the hand holding the knife. The force caused Road to let go of the weapon, and it spun down on the floor. "Listen, kid." Lavi said quietly. "Whether you like it or not, as long as you're inside of these walls we have an obligation to keep you from getting hurt. Even if you wish to die, we can't stand by and let you kill yourself." He looked Road straight in the eye. "After all, you're now an exorcist."

"No…" Road mumbled, "I'm not…"

"Yes," Lavi told her, "You are."

"I can't be…" She glared at Lavi. "I can't be an exorcist!!" She ran past him and ran outside of the door.

Lavi moved to go after her when Komui stopped him. "No, Lavi." Komui said solemnly. "She has to accept her Innocence on her own. Besides…" He picked up the knife. "There's nowhere she can run."

Road was running as fast as she could away from the infirmary, her wounds spilling a trail of blood behind her. With each labored step, a jolt of pain was sent through her body, reminding her of her wounds. _I won't stop…_ She thought. _I have to get out of here…_ She ran down four flights of stairs, taking steps three at a time. The various Finders and scientists she passed gave her fleeting looks as she attempted to escape. _Duke Millennium…I need you, please…_ Road spotted the main gates a couple hundred yards away from her. She ran as fast as she could towards it. _I want to go home…_ She crashed into the front gate. _I WANT TO GO HOME!! _Road pounded harshly on the door. "Open up!" She cried desperately. ""Open up this door! Open, dammit!" She slid to the floor, her fatigue catching up to her. "Open…please, just open…" Reality started to fade away from her, the bloodstains on the door surrounding her spinning vision. "Open…" She lost consciousness.

_I hate you, Allen._


	14. The 11th Memory

**WARNING: I pick on Lavi again with the same joke. I know, it's getting stale, but I don't really care. And how does sweet, innocent little Lenalee know about that stuff anyway? As the Tootsie Pop announcer guy says, "The world may never know."**

**Again, I end the chapter with a single line. It's becoming a habit for me, sadly.**

**I'm advertising a story shamelessly again. I started a crossover of DGM and The World Ends With You. Why? Because you can substitute Kanda's first name in the title, that's why. So take a look if you get a chance. Pwease? (puppy eyes)**

**Disclaimer****: HK owns DGM.**

* * *

**The 11****th**** Memory: Chains of Sorrow**

"Supervisor…" Reever whispered, "Is this really necessary?"

Komui nodded solemnly. "I'm afraid it is. If we didn't do this, she might try to escape, or even worse, try to kill herself again."

"But supervisor-"

"Stop." Komui held up a hand. "I don't like this any more than you do, but we can't risk the loss of an exorcist. For all we know, she might be the key figure in defeating the Earl."

Reever sighed. "The life of an Innocence host really is hard, isn't it?" He turned away.

Komui gave one last glance at the inside of the room. "Life during war is hard, Reever. For both exorcists and humans alike." He shut the door.

Road glanced up at the closed door, a look of hopelessness and despair in her eyes. _So, they've left. Of course they did, everybody loves leaving me._ She tried to move her arms, but they were bound by thick chains. Her entire body was bound to a small bed, tight restrains only allowing little to no movement. Leather straps kept her from getting up, and chains bound her arms and legs. A silk cloth was wrapped around her mouth, to keep her from committing suicide by biting her tongue off.

Road stared blankly at the ceiling. _My old life seems so long ago,_ Road thought with tears in her eyes. _I can barely remember what it's like to have my Noah powers…I barely remember what it was like to ride around on the Earl's back, or how it fun it was to annoy Lero._ She blinked her tears away. _What am I talking about, it's only been about a week and I think I'm forgetting everything about my old life._

_But Miss Kamelot, _a voice said, interrupting her thoughts. _You forgot about Kryst, didn't you?_ A silhouette in Allen's shape appeared in the shadows in the corners of the room. "Hello, Road, glad to see me?"

"Mmmph!" Road tried to say from behind her gag.

The shadow cocked his head. "Is that gag troubling you, Miss Kamelot? I can hear your thoughts just fine, you know." He cupped one hand to his ear. "Give it a try, speak to me telepathically.

_Go to hell._

"Ooooh, harsh words, Road." The shadow stood next to Road. "You never used that type of language when you were a human."

_I swear, if you force me back into that twisted illusion of yours, I'll-_

"You'll what? Kill me?" The shadow grinned. "You're welcome to try, though I doubt you'd succeed. After all, I'm not even human. Besides," His form started to take on a more tangible shape. "I only have enough power at the moment to speak with you."

_Just tell me what you want to say and get the hell outta my life._

The silhouette frowned. "That hurts, Road. And here I was thinking we were friends." The shadowed form began to look more and more like Allen. "Of course, I don't really know what friendship is, since I don't really have emotions."

_Why do you always look like Allen?_

"Did I forget to explain to you? Sorry, my bad." Allen smiled. "I'm Allen Walker. Yet," He turned back into shadow. "I'm not."

_Just tell me what you wanna say already._

"Fine, I'll tell you." The shadow embraced Road lightly, his form barely touching her. "Remember your human emotions. That is the key to synchronizing with your Innocence."

A bitter laugh escaped Road. _Are you serious? Do you really believe that I can feel like a human, that I actually _want_ to synchronize with this damned Innocence?_

"Acceptance is the final step in denial." The shadow said cryptically. "And acceptance is your key back home."

_What're you…?_

The shadow embraced Road tightly, but instead of solid flesh pressing against Road, she felt a cold wave of energy pass over her as the shadow melted into her. _Listen, Road._ The shadow's voice said. _If you never accept that you're human, you can never go back home. And if you never go back home, I can never return to Allen. I don't really give a damn about you, but you're my host now, and I must follow you wherever you go. Even to the depths of Hell._

_I don't understand you at all._

_Allen didn't either, to him I was just what reminded him to continue walking. But know this, Miss Kamelot._ Road's left arm twitched. _Innocence is still a weapon. It may be a weapon designed to save, but it's used to destroy._

Road closed her eyes. _But that doesn't change the fact that I hate it. Nor the fact that I hate humans._

_If you hate yourself, then that means that you don't fully understand. You're too ignorant when it comes to these things, Road._

_Shut up._

In Road's head, the faintest trace of a smile could be seen in the darkness. _Goodnight, Road Kamelot._

--

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU LOCKED HER UP IN CHAINS!!"

"I-I'm sorry! It had to be done!"

"I'll show you what has to be done…"

"No wait, you wouldn't hurt your dear older bro-"

BAM!

"Okay…maybe you would hurt your dear older brother."

Lenalee had just returned from Martel with Kanda. Kanda went straight to his room, as usual, and Lenalee went to check on Road at the infirmary. When Komui told her that he locked her up in chains, she kicked him before he could finish.

"I had no idea you were such a pervert, Komui!" Lenalee shouted. "I can see Lavi being into bondage, but not you!"

"Do I get any respect around here?" Lavi randomly asked.

Johnny shook his head. "You'll get used to it."

"But Lenalee, my great lovely beautiful saintly sister, I had to lock her up!" Komui pleaded.

Lenalee stuck her tongue out at her brother. "You didn't have to do anything, brother. You can't just lock up young girls in rooms with no reason to back it up!"

"Wait, Lenalee-"

"I'm going to set her free, and you can't stop me!" She moved past Komui, when he suddenly stopped her.

"No, Lenalee. You can't allow that girl to roam free."

Lenalee glared fiercely at Komui, then cooled off a little when she saw the seriousness in his eyes. "Tell me then. Tell me why you had to lock her up."

Komui sighed. "That girl, Road Kamelot, she's a danger to herself and others. She's mentally unstable and we had to keep her under lock and key for her own safety."

"How can you prove that she's unstable?" Lenalee asked. "I mean, we say the same thing about you?"

Komui shook his head. "She threatened to kill herself after we told her she couldn't leave." Lenalee stared at Komui. "She wanted to get rid of her Innocence, and go home. And she tried to do it in the worst possible way."

"What do you mean?" Lenalee asked cautiously.

"I mean she took a knife and carved a chunk of her hand off." Komui said bluntly. "She said that she'd kill us if we didn't get out of her way, but we didn't listen because we knew she had no power to back it up." He put his hand on Lenalee's shoulder. "Listen, Lenalee, it's too dangerous to let her out of her bindings until she accepts her destiny as an exorcist, she might harm our Finders or herself. You weren't there when she woke up, so you don't know how unstable she is. It's best if you forget about her for the time being, just leave her alone."

"You mean…" she bit her lip. "You mean how you left me alone, brother?"

Komui flinched at her words. "You know that I had no choice, the Order took you away by force!"

"Yeah, just how you're keeping Road locked up by force too." Lenalee said bitterly. "She just wants to go home, Komui. She didn't have any choice at all! I brought her here, thinking that she needed to be treated, but I didn't think she'd be treated like this!" She looked away from her brother. "Keeping her locked and bound like that…the Order's treating her like they did to me…"

"Lenalee-"

"Don't try to argue your way out of this Komui!" Lenalee shouted fiercely. "You weren't with me during those first few months. You didn't see how unfairly they treated me, how I was only a tool to be used in their eyes." She clenched her fists. "You have no idea how it feels to be forcibly ripped apart from your family, from your home! _None_!"

"Lenalee…it was just as hard for me too." Komui said sadly. "I know that you how alone you felt during those months. How did you think _I _felt? It was just as bad for me, since my one and only sister was torn away from me. So you shouldn't think that we were any different during those months."

Lenalee shook her head. "It was _different_ for you, you had a goal to work for. You had your studies to keep you occupied. I…I spent each and every day in absolute misery. I had no light to follow, I actually thought it was better for me to die. You had a reason to continue living, I had a reason to stop. So don't you _dare_ say that it was just as hard for you!"

Komui averted his gaze from Lenalee's. "I…see. I had no idea you felt that way."

Lenalee moved towards him. "Komui…"

"Do what you want, Lenalee. I won't stop you. Just know one thing."

She hesitated. "What?"

"Road Kamelot…she thinks she's a child of the Millennium Earl." Komui glanced at his sister. "It's probably false, but we can't exactly rule out the possibility that it's true. If you go to see her…" Komui walked away from her. "You should be prepared for anything."

"I don't think that'd matter, brother." Komui turned to her, and was surprised to see a single tear fall from her eyes. "I think I might be used to having my heart broken by a child of the Millennium Earl."

"Lenalee…"

"Komui…I'm sorry I said those things. I still love you." She turned away from him. "But the Order doesn't have the right to hold people against their wills." She walked away from Komui.

"What did you mean?" Komui asked quietly. "That your heart was broken by a child of the Earl?"

"I don't know." Lenalee answered, still walking away. "It's just…" She sighed. "I met a boy named Allen Walker, and for some reason…"

"It felt like he broke my heart."


	15. The 12th Memory

**I felt like this chapter didn't come out the way I intended. It felt that I was forcing things a little, like they wouldn't actually do that kind of thing. Will they be classified as OOC? I tried to do them the best I could…but for some reason they felt all wrong. Eh, forget it, just enjoy.**

**Disclaimer****: CLAMP owns Chobits and the character designs of Code Geass. Oh wait.**

* * *

**The 12****th**** Memory: Keep Walking, Road Kamelot**

"So Road, how do you like my gift?" Kryst was holding out a small stuffed bear. "I was thinking of getting you something flashy like diamonds or rubies, but I think this would've been better."

Road threw her arms around Kryst. "Thank you, Kryst!" She gingerly took the stuffed animal from her friend. "It means a lot to me. I've never gotten presents or anything like that before."

Kryst smiled. "I'm glad to be the first, then." She took out a slip of paper from her pocket. "Here, Road, I want you to have this."

Road blinked. "A piece of paper? Why would you want me to have this?"

Kryst gave the slip of paper to Road. "Read it."

"A…birthday party?" She stared blankly at Kryst. "I don't get it."

Kryst slapped her head. "Oh, duh, I forgot you never heard of one of those before!" She smiled and took Road's hand. "Come with me, I promise it'll be lots of fun!"

"Well…if you say so."

"Trust me," Kryst cupped her hands warmly around Road's. "It's like nothing you've ever seen before."

Road opened her eyes. _They just keep coming, don't they?_

Ever since Allen's shadow visited her in her room, every time she closed her eyes, she saw some memory of her human life. The memories she tried so hard to suppress run rampant through her head, as fresh as she was experiencing them firsthand. Road sighed. _It's impossible for me to get any sleep, isn't it?_

Someone knocked on the door. "Hello, are you awake in there? I'm coming in!"

_As if I can talk, you bastard._

The door opened, and Johnny came inside. "Um, hi there. Are you okay?"

Road flailed around in her bed. "Of course I'm not okay! I'm tied to a freaking bed!" Is what Road tried to say, but it came out as "Mmph, mm mmph mmph!"

"Oh, right, you can't talk." Johnny scratched his head. "Let me help you with that." He knelt down in front of Road and removed the silk cloth around her mouth.

Road spat at Johnny, and missed by a long shot. "It's about time! I thought you'd leave me like that forever!" She stuck her tongue out. "Ugh…I can still taste that stupid piece of silk…"

"Ah ha ha…" Johnny laughed nervously. "Sorry about that, we just didn't want you to bite your tongue off or something."

"Yeah, because I just _love_ not having the ability to speak." She blew her hair out of her face. "I'm past that suicidal-ness, I just want to be able to move my arms and legs. Which reminds me, are you going to get rid of these chains?"

"About that…" Johnny shuffled his feet. "I'm under orders not to let you go until you fully accept your identity as an exorcist."

"Oh, don't worry about that!" Road said in a high voice, "I'm _totally_ into the idea of being an exorcist! After all, I just _love_ mankind!"

"Well, if you say you are…"

"Cross my heart and hope to die! Oh wait…" Road giggled. "Wrong choice of words." Johnny got out the key for the chains and unlocked them. Road grinned evilly. "Sucker." She pushed Johnny to the ground and leapt off the bed, her fingers forming an L on her forehead. "You don't honestly believe that I'd be an exorcist, do you?" She ran out the door, when she bumped into a tall female.

"So brother was right…" Lenalee patted Road's head. "You really do hate us exorcists, don't you?"

"You…" Road slapped her. "Get out of my way, you bitch!"

Lenalee felt the spot where Road hit her. "Johnny, you can go now, I can handle her."

Johnny nodded shyly. "Yes, Miss Lenalee." He bowed his head and exited the room.

"Now Miss Kamelot." Lenalee pushed Road back into the room and locked the door behind her. "It's about time you talked to someone."

Road glared at her then flopped down onto the mattress. "If you're here to spout that crap about your God, then save yourself some time and get outta my face." She stared at the ceiling. "I don't need a sermon."

Lenalee smiled sadly at Road. "I know how you feel, Road."

Road glanced at Lenalee. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"I mean, I know what it feels like, to be stripped away from your home." Lenalee said cautiously, as if she was afraid to how Road might react. When Road stayed silent, she decided to continue. "When I was younger, maybe younger than you, the Order tore me away from my brother and kept me locked up, like you."

"Ha. And I'll say it again. _Ha_." Road curled up into a ball. "Do you think I really care about your life? Well, I don't. So you can keep your life's story and shove it up your ass."

Lenalee just smiled. "I hate God too, you know?"

Road narrowed her eyes. "What are you talking about?" She asked, not even glancing at Lenalee. "I thought all exorcists believed that God was the sole reason for their existence, the only reason they fight. I thought you all were a bunch of religious nutcases."

Lenalee shook her head. "I don't think God is the only reason we fight. After all, I don't fight for him." She waited for Road to respond. She didn't. "I…I fight for my friends. I actually think that God is a madman, creating a world with so much suffering. For forcing exorcists like us to fight. After you've seen your comrades fall one by one in front of your face…you start to forsake God, and believe that there is none."

"Oh would you just _shut up_!?" Road leapt off of the bed. "Let me spell it out for you. I don't give a damn about your beliefs, I just want to get the hell out of this place and go home."

"You mean you want to go back to the Earl?"

Road looked suspiciously at Lenalee. "So what if I want to go to the Earl. I'm his child, his family. Are you going to stop me just because I want to go home?"

"No, I won't."

"Eh?" Road said, "What did you just say?"

Lenalee smiled. "I said I wouldn't stop you. I'd even help you escape."

"You would?" Road asked hopefully. "You'd actually help me?"

"Of course."

The hope disappeared from Road instantly. "Oh, I see what you're doing. You're doing the whole good cop, bad cop thing. You probably just let me think I can escape home, then when I start trusting you, you pretend that you never said that in the first place." She stuck her tongue out at her. "Do you really think I'm that stupid? Did you really think that I'd think you'd let me go back to the Earl, the whole reason you're being forced to fight in this war?"

"No, I didn't think you'd believe that." Lenalee knelt down in front of Road and put her hand on Road's shoulder. "I thought you'd believe that I really meant it when I said I'd help you get home."

"You can't be serious…" Road punched Lenalee, knocking her to the ground. "Do you think you're some kind of saint or something!? That you can give help to anyone who asked for it!" She punched her again. "I can't believe you, why the hell would you think helping me would be a good idea!? I'm a child of the Millennium Earl for god's sake, your natural enemy! Doesn't that mean _anything_ to you!?"

"Yes, yes it does." Lenalee said sadly. "I met another of the Earl's children, and he believed that he should give help to anyone who asked for it."

Road's fists went down. "Who are you talking about?"

"Allen Walker."

"Oh, of _course_ it's him!" Road shouted hysterically, "He's the guy _everyone_ falls in love with!" She glared angrily at Lenalee. "What, did you think that just because that bastard helped you that I'd be just as willing to help as him? Like hell I would! That Allen's not even a Noah, you know that? He's a freaking imposter who freaking _replaced _me! Tell me, what do you really think of that Allen brat?"

Lenalee bit her lip. "I…I don't know what to think of him." She admitted. "I've only known him for a couple hours, and in those couple hours, I didn't learn much about him. However…" Lenalee hesitated. "I felt like I knew him from somewhere. Like he was a friend I lost long ago."

Road clawed at Lenalee's neck. "You really do believe you're a saint, don't you?" She gripped Lenalee's throat harshly. "You don't really know Allen, you just feel attracted to him because you _love_ him."

"I-I don't know about that…" Lenalee tore Road's hands from her neck. "How could I love someone I just met?"

"How should I know? Maybe it's those stupid hormones of yours. But you love him, and you know you do." Lenalee stared at the floor. "See, you're not even going to deny your feelings. Well you know what?" Road grinned evilly. "I've _kissed_ Allen." Lenalee's eyes widened.

Road didn't even know why she said that, all she did know was that she wanted to feel powerful for a moment, to watch Lenalee squirm in front of her. She continued. "I've bet you've never tasted Allen before. I have, and he was delicious." She licked her lips, pretending that she was savoring the thought. "You've should've heard him while we were kissing, the way he cried out and begged." _For me to stop._ Road added silently. "But since he's a child of the Earl, like me, there's no way in hell he'd be together with you. So you should go on and lock yourself in a little room, because this Noah isn't sticking around here anymore." Road walked over to the door and tried to open it.

"You know, Road." Lenalee said quietly. "I don't see a Noah in front of me."

Road stopped forcing the door open. "What do you mean?"

"All I see," Lenalee continued, "Is a frightened little girl too afraid to admit she's scared."

"What're you-" Lenalee embraced her.

"It's okay to admit you're afraid, Road. It's okay to expose your weaknesses."

"Shut up…" Road muttered. "You don't know a thing about me."

"I do." Lenalee said simply. "I know that what you want most is to go home, and I'm willing to help you get there. Even if your home is the Earl's as well."

"Why?"

"Because." Lenalee smiled. "I don't believe you're evil just because your parents are."

Road tried to push Lenalee away, but her arms refused to respond. _Why…why can't I push her away?_ Lenalee stroked her hair. _I don't need to be comforted by an exorcist. Besides, I wasn't born evil, I was made evil. I was born…_

_A human?_

"Road." Lenalee said, interrupting her thoughts, "I'm going to help you return home, but for that, I'll need you to accept your Innocence."

"Oh, of course." Road tried to push her away. "It's all about my Innocence, isn't it? You just want me to become an exorcist, don't you?"

Lenalee grasped Road tighter. "No, I'm not. But you'll have to be able to fight if you want to get to the Earl. And the only way you can fight is with your Innocence. I'm not asking you to be an exorcist." Road felt something wet run down the back of her neck. "I'm just asking you to fight with me."

"Lenalee…" Road clenched her hands. "Why do you want to help me so badly?"

"Because," Lenalee answered, "You remind me of myself. And I don't want anybody else to suffer like I did."

_I…I am suffering, aren't I?_ Road thought. _Maybe…maybe I really should…_

Road's left eye pulsed. _Your Innocence is your key home, Miss Kamelot._

A single tear slid down Road's eye, mixed in with a small droplet of blood.

"Lenalee…" Road whispered softly. "Listen, I'm not gonna say I'll be an exorcist…however…I guess I can say I'll fight with you."

"Thank you…Road Kamelot…"

_Don't thank me…_ Road thought. _I'm not doing it for you I'm doing it for…_

A small blond girl with long hair smiled at Road.

_Kryst?_


	16. Intermission III

**The Intermission chapters return with a continuation of the first one! Will I be continuing this saga? That depends on how long this story will be…**

**It's like Lenalee gets the most lines in this story. It's weird, isn't it? Weird like how Allen can eat all that food and not get sick.**

**Disclaimer****: D. Gray-Man belongs to Hoshino Katsura's cat, Coro, who Katsura says looks like Timcampy. I'M SORRY TIMCAMPY!! At least there's now a reason why you've disappeared…**

* * *

**Intermission III: The Petals Fall, the Winds Blow**

"I'd like some mashed potatoes, chicken soup, dry curry, soy tofu, beef stew, meat loaf, chicken potato salad, eight cobs of corn, twelve cheeseburgers, six bacon cheeseburgers, twenty-nine slices of pizza, thirty-two rice balls, four apples, four bananas, four pineapples, four watermelons, seven plates of chicken parmesan, a plate of lasagna, two shepherd pies, nine plates of fettuccini alfredo, twelve plates of chicken adobo, three plates of fried rice, two plates of plain rice, and three racks of barbeque ribs." Allen took in a deep breath. "And for dessert, I'd like three bowls of chocolate ice cream, three bowls of vanilla ice cream, three bowls of strawberry ice cream, four raspberry crepes, eight large chocolate brownies with sprinkles, and sixty-four mitarashi dango."

"My, my, Allen!" Jerry exclaimed. "You're certainly a bit more hungry than usual." Jerry leaned in closer to Allen. "Are you being troubled by something?"

"Ah, no, Jerry." Allen raised his hands. "It's just the whole war with the Earl and all that's working up an appetite."

"Well if you say so, Allen." Jerry went into the cafeteria, and came out thirty seconds later to hand Allen a few hundred plates of food. "Here you go, Allen, enjoy!"

Allen took the plates from the cook. "Thank you, Jerry." He walked to a vacant table and set his plates down. "Finally…time to chow down!"

Lavi, Miranda, and Lenalee walked over to Allen. "Hey, Allen, it looks like you're eating a bit more than usual!"

Allen stacked one plate after another next to him. "I'm just kinda hungry. I haven't really had a good meal in a while."

"I can see that…" Lavi commented as Allen downed his one-hundredth and fifty-second plate. "Really Allen, how can you eat all this stuff?"

Allen shrugged. "I don't know. It just come naturally I guess." He set aside his final plate. "Whew, I think that's a new personal record for me!"

"Um, yeah…" Lavi and the others pulled a seat next to Allen. "Hey, mind if we talk to you for a second?"

Allen smiled. "Sure, why not?"

"Great. Well, we wanted to ask…" Lavi hesitated. "Miranda, why don't you ask?"

Miranda froze at the thought of being the one to ask. "B-b-but me!? What if I mess up the question? What if I accidentally mispronounce a word? Allen might misunderstand what we're asking and think totally different! I can't handle this pressure!" Miranda's head fell flat on the table.

"…I was only joking Miranda." Lavi said. "You didn't need to get so worked up over it."

Lenalee sighed. "Fine, I'll ask Allen."

"Ask me what?" Allen looked at each of the three exorcists in front of him. "I don't really get what's going on here…"

"Well Allen…" Lenalee bit her lip. "It's about the meeting we had a couple of hours ago. And that message Miranda passed on to you from Road."

Allen's gaze fell to the ground. "Oh, that. What about it?"

"Well…Allen, I was wondering…um…" Lenalee sighed.

"I'll say it." Lavi said. "Allen, are you considering using the Ark to go to Italy by yourself?"

"Ah ha ha…of course not." Allen laughed. "What makes you think I have any desire to see Road again? Especially by myself." Allen stood up. "Well if you'll excuse me, I'm pretty tired so I think I'm going to go to bed now."

Lavi grabbed his arm. "Tell the truth, Allen. "Lavi said quietly. "Are you, or are you not feeling guilty about what happened between you and Road."

"Well…of course I am." Allen smiled. "Who wouldn't feel guilty about basically telling a girl to crawl in a hole and die?" Allen's smile faded. "Even if she was a Noah…her Noah was sleeping, so she was completely a human at a time. So of course I'm guilty for wanting to kill a fellow human. But now that she's a Noah again, all that guilt is gone, so I won't be chasing after her." Allen tried to pull his arm away from Lavi. "Is that all, Lavi?"

"I guess so…" Lavi admitted. "That's all I wanted to know." He let go of Allen's arm. "Have fun sleeping, Allen."

Allen smiled. "Good night, Lavi." He moved away.

"Wait!" Lenalee ran over to Allen and grabbed him. "I'm not done with you yet…" She gazed into Allen's eyes. "Tell me the truth, are you going to Italy?"

"I already said I wasn't going, Lenalee." Allen said softly. "Don't you believe me?"

Lenalee studied Allen's face. She slapped him. "I told you not to lie to me!"

"L-Lenalee!" Allen stuttered, feeling the spot where she struck. "I already said I wasn't going!"

"Allen, do you think I can't tell when you're lying or not!?" Lenalee shouted, tears in her eyes. "I can see it in your eyes, you're still planning to go to Italy, aren't you?"

"Lenalee…" Allen gazed at the floor. "I…"

"Forget it, Allen." Lenalee said. "I'm leaving." She dashed out of the room, her tears trailing behind.

"Allen…" Allen looked around to see everyone staring at him viciously. "You made Lenalee cry!"

He held up his hands in defense. "N-no, I didn't mean to-"

Lavi pushed Allen towards the door. "Go, Allen, apologize to her. You really need to be honest with her."

"Lavi…" Allen shook his head. "Thanks." Allen ran out of the cafeteria to find Lenalee. He dashed through the corridors of the Black Order, passing various Finders along the way. Suddenly, he heard a quiet sobbing. "Lenalee?" Allen walked quietly to the source of the crying, and went up one of the towers. At the very top, he saw Lenalee looking outside at the snow covered landscape, tears in her eyes." Lenalee…" Allen said softly.

Lenalee's ears twitched when she heard Allen's voice. She turned away from him. "Go away, I don't want to talk to you right now."

Allen walked over to her. "Why not?" He sat down next to her.

"Because, I'm mad at you right now." Lenalee stated simply.

"Oh, why?"

Lenalee turned angrily to Allen. "Because!" Her gaze shifted away from him. "Because…I'm afraid of losing you."

"Lenalee…" Allen said softly. "Didn't I say I wasn't going to leave?"

"Saying and doing are two different things." Lenalee told him. "I can tell when you're lying, you know. Whenever you lie you have this slight twitch in your left eye, so small that it's almost unnoticeable."

"You can tell when I'm lying?" Allen asked. "So does that mean if I play poker with you I might actually lose?"

"Be serious, Allen!" Lenalee shouted.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Allen apologized. "I just can't really believe that you've noticed something like that about me. I thought I was hard to read."

"You _are_ hard to read, Allen." Lenalee lightly brushed away the hair that covered the scar over Allen's eye. "Sometimes I can't tell if you love the Akuma more than you love your friends."

"Lenalee…"

"You once said that your left hand was for the Akuma, and the right was for the humans." Lenalee grabbed Allen's left hand. "To me it seems that you're carrying more weight on your left hand than on your right." She pulled Allen into an embrace. "Please don't sink deeper into the darkness Allen. Please…"

"Lenalee…" A sharp stab of pain suddenly went through Allen's eye. He pulled away from Lenalee, covering his left eye.

"Allen? Are you okay?"

Allen smiled nervously. "Of course I am…why wouldn't I be?"

Lenalee bit her lip. "It's that eye of yours again, isn't it?"

"N-no, of course not…"

"You're lying to me again, Allen." Lenalee pointed out.

"Oh…I am, aren't I? Ah ha ha…" Allen turned away from Lenalee.

"Allen, you're not still thinking of going to Italy, are you? And tell the truth this time."

"Well…" Allen sighed sadly. "Yes, I was thinking about taking the Ark to Italy. I want to settle things with Road once and for all. There, are you happy now?"

"No, of course I'm not!" Lenalee shouted, tears flowing from her eyes. "Why would I be happy!? You might be _killed_ over there, haven't you thought about that?"

"I have but…" Allen smiled. "I don't think I'd let myself die so easily, not as long as I have my friends to return to."

Lenalee slapped him. "You don't get it at all, do you? You're just thinking about yourself, wanting to go to Italy to settle your score with Road! This isn't about the Akuma or the war, you just want to go there to satisfy your own selfishness! Can't you take one moment to think about how everyone else would feel if you _did_ die!?" She clenched her fists. "How I'd feel…" She added quietly.

"How…would you feel?" Allen asked solemnly.

"I once told you that my friends are my world, didn't I?" Lenalee said quietly. "You're a major part of my world, Allen. Maybe…maybe an even bigger part than my brother is. So if you died…" She fell to her knees. "If you died I don't know what I'd do!"

"Lenalee…" Allen wrapped his arms around her. "I hate seeing you cry, you know that?" He used his free hand to wipe her tears. "You mean a lot to me too, Lenalee, so…" He hesitated. "If it really bothers you so much if I go to Italy…then I won't, okay?"

Lenalee leaned in closer to Allen. "Do you promise? You swear you won't go to Italy?"

Allen smiled. "I promise. Not if I have to see you cry like this again."

"Allen…" She closed her eyes and moved in closer to him.

"Lenalee…?"

She rested her head on Allen's shoulder. "I'm really glad that I can spend time like this with you."

"Yeah…me too." He pulled away from her. "It's about time we get to sleep. After all, you never know what'll happen tomorrow, right?"

Lenalee smiled. "Yeah…we should get some sleep." She touched the hand Allen was using to cover his eye. "Does it really hurt? When your eye is sensing Akuma?"

"You'd get used to it. It'll probably settle down in a couple of hours." He took Lenalee's hand with his. "Let's go already, your brother's probably wondering where you are."

"Okay." She followed Allen as they started descending the tower. She slipped her hand out of Allen's when they reached the last flight of stairs. "Well, this is where we go our separate ways." She smiled at Allen. "I hope your eye deactivates soon!" She walked away.

"Yeah…me too…" He took his hand off from his eye.

It wasn't activated at all.

--

"Why are you saying goodbye, Allen?"

Allen turned away from the Ark, and saw a familiar red-head standing in the shadows. "Lavi…what are you doing up so late?"

Lavi sighed. "I'm a Bookman, I live to record the hidden side of history. And what you're doing is considered a part of history, you know."

"If you're trying to stop me, Lavi…I've already made up my mind."

"You know what that old panda says to me right? That I should never interfere with history, and I must just stand by and record it. So if I try to stop you, then that old panda will say that I interfered with history. Besides," Lavi smiled. "If Lenalee couldn't convince you, I doubt I could."

"Lavi…"

"But Allen, are you sure you don't want to wait a little more? At least, until Timcampy is fixed?"

Allen shook his head. "I have to go now, otherwise I might not have the chance to leave later." He picked up his bag. "Lavi…do me a favor and apologize to Lenalee for me for lying to her."

"No." Lavi put his hand on Allen's shoulder. "If I tell her that I let you go without trying to stop you, she'd never forgive me. Besides, it'd be better if you told her yourself when you get back." He smiled. "That way, we can be 100 percent sure you'll return."

"Lavi, that smile," Allen said, "Is it the future Bookman smiling, or is it Lavi smiling?"

"Both of us." Lavi stated simply. He held his hand out. "Promise me that you'll be back soon?"

Allen took it. "Promise."

Allen Walker was never seen at the Black Order again.


	17. The 13th Memory

**God, this was a long chapter. I spent like three whole hours on this. I apologize, I spent too much time poking fun at Lavi. No, I'm not sorry with the longness, but for me tormenting Lavi again. Don't kill me Lavi fangirls!!**

**We finally get into the Rewinding Town arc. Yes, I'm doing this arc. I have to do Krory's too, since he's currently not an exorcist. Guess what that means! Yup, you guessed it, more chapters!! Hooray, this story will be uber long!**

**Lenalee's actually not in this chapter! She's been getting the spotlight for too long lately, so I decided to hide her backstage for a while. So who replaces her for this arc? Uhm…I dunno…**

**By the way, I'd like to tell you people that new chapters won't be coming up as frequently as before, since my mom is finally coming back from vacation! And yes, I've been stuck with my elder sibling for the past 3-4 weeks. So since she's coming back, I might get less computer time than I'm getting now, which means less time to work on this story. I get less computer time since the computer is in her bedroom so…yeah. I just wanted to put this out there in advance in case you start wondering where the hell the next chapter is. Don't worry, I still love you guys. To the 100 review point we goooo!!**

**Disclaimer****: Yes, this author's note is still going on. Thanks for bothering to read it if you did. Zone belongs to Hoshino Katsura. And now (and it's about time) on with the story!!**

* * *

**The 13****th**** Memory: Fast Forward**

The dishes she was carrying fell to the floor and broke. The waitress sunk down to the floor and apologized profusely to the customers in front of her. That was the eighteenth thing she did wrong today, and she's only been awake for six hours. However, if you counted the things you did wrong in her sleep…

"Can't you do anything right!?" The waitress's boss shouted. "I thought that maybe this time you could do something right!"

"I-I'm so sorry!" The waitress sobbed. "I didn't mean to! My feet just sort of got caught on my dress and caused me to trip!" She started sweeping up the pieces of broken glass. "I swear I won't do anything else wrong today!" She stood up and walked across the room to discard the broken glass.

The waitress slipped on a small puddle of water, causing the shards of broken glass to scatter across the floor. The waitress looked up frightfully at her boss. "I-I'm sorry…"

A vein pulsed in the boss's forehead. "What everyone says about you is true. You really _are _nothing but bad luck!" He pointed his finger out the door. "That's it, get out!"

The waitress held back a sob. "W-what do you mean?" She stuttered.

"I mean…YOU'RE FIRED!!"

The waitress flinched at the tone of his voice. "P-please don't fire me!" She pleaded. "I promise that I'll never mess up again! I promise!" She picked herself up, only to bump into another waitress, causing _that _waitress to drop her dishes.

The boss sighed. "Listen, it's not that I have anything personal against you." He explained. "It's just that my business can't afford to pay for everything you might or might not break." He pushed her out the door. "Why don't you try working somewhere else?"

"B-but I…" The boss shut the door in her face.

The ex-waitress wiped the tears out of her eyes, and shuffled her feet away from the restaurant. _Why do I always have to be so hopeless?_ The woman thought. _Why do I always have to be cursed with this bad luck?_ A carriage drove past her through a puddle of mud. The mud splashed all over the woman, staining her dress. She wiped the mud off her face and continued walking. _I hate this._

Miranda Lotto was just fired from her 100th job.

--

Road narrowly dodged the katana that slashed at her. She back-flipped away from the swordsman and stuck her tongue out at him. "Is that all Yuu can do?" She taunted.

Kanda raised his katana. "Don't you _dare _use my first name, newbie!" He slashed at Road.

She giggled as she danced through Kanda's attacks. "Aw, is Ikle-Kandakins mad that I used his first name in a pun? Maybe you should take some anger management classes or something."

"Che, this coming from the girl who can't even form her weapon." He raised his katana. "Maybe you should wait until you have the power to back up those insults of yours." Kanda swiftly leapt into the air and brought down the katana.

Road barely avoided the attack. "Nice aim, you long haired-" Kanda kicked her in the gut, and then tried to stab his sword at her face. Road ducked just in time to avoid getting skewered, when she heard a loud _snap_ come from above her. The katana struck a pillar and broke into two. "H-hey!" Road protested. "Are you crazy!? You almost killed me there!"

Kanda clicked his tongue. "Stupid katana, does this place have _any_ weapons I can use until my Mugen is fixed?" He turned away from Road. "We're done for today, newbie. Consider yourself lucky that you don't have to sleep in the infirmary tonight."

"Well consider _yourself_ lucky that I didn't- Hey! Are you even listening to me!?"

Kanda held his hand up in the air. "Go see Hevlaska to check if you've made any progress. Lavi will bring you there."

"Hey, you can't just leave me like that!" Road yelled after him. "Kanda you freaking jerk!"

"Ha ha, it looks like you two are getting along well." Lavi walked up next to Road. "Normally Yuu isn't so friendly with the new exorcists." He grinned.

"What are you grinning about, you pervert?"

A huge rock fell on top of Lavi's head. "P-pervert!? You've been here for almost four weeks and you _still_ call me that?" He sighed. "I guess I haven't exactly left the _best_ first impression when we first met…but we've know each other for weeks and you still call me that!"

She stuck her tongue out at him. "That's because you're a pervert, pervert." She started walking off. "Come on, let go see that Hevlaska chick already. I'm getting bored talking with you."

Lavi sighed again. "Still as rude as ever." He followed after her.

--

Road held her arms up. "I'm ready." Hevlaska used her tentacles to pick Road up from the ground. She stuck her tentacles within Road's body, probing her insides. She brought her forehead's to Road's and touched it. "1…7…8…17…27…45…61…" A large breath of mist came out of Hevlaska's mouth as she deposited Road back onto the floor. "It appears that your synchronization rate is still 67 percent. It hasn't changed at all since you first got here."

"Aww, looks like Road has to play with Kanda for a few more days!" Lavi teased.

Road raised her fist at him. "Do you want to die!?"

"Miss Kamelot…are you still unable to invocate your Innocence?" Hevlaska asked. "Theoretically, it is possible for Innocence to be invocated at 67 percent."

Road shrugged. "I try, but I'm not able to fully activate it."

"But you have invocated your Innocence before…right?"

"Yeah, a couple of times. But that was only when there was an Akuma around, and also before…" She bit her lip. "Never mind, it's not important."

"Maybe…" Hevlaska said, "You're having trouble invocating it because…maybe you don't want to? After all…the only thing that invocated your Innocence was your extreme disgust at what the soul of the Akuma looks like, right?"

"Well yeah. Like I said before, I'm a Noah, a child of the Millennium Earl. Therefore, I'm obviously repulsed at the idea of having to use Innocence. Oh wait." She let out a bitter laugh. "You guys don't believe my story at all, right?"

"We'd believe it if it wasn't so hard to believe." Lavi commented. "There is no way some guy named Allen could…how did you put it? Screw with time and space? I'm pretty sure no one can have enough power to mess with time and space _or_ somehow inject Innocence into a Noah. I won't believe that unless there's absolute proof that it could be done."

"I'm right here, aren't I?" Road said bitterly. "I'm standing here with Innocence inside my body, aren't I? Isn't the fact that I'm here proof enough?"

Lavi shook his head. "Show me a picture of the Noah you. Then _maybe_ I'll consider your story."

"If I may interrupt…" Hevlaska spoke. "Miss Kamelot, you remember that prophecy I spoke when I first inspected you?"

"Not really." Road said. "I was too freaked out by the whole 'tentacles in my body like some dumb movie' thing. Why, does it have something to do with me and red head over here?"

"Well…somewhat. It involves time. I…predicted that you'd be the…Restorer of Time… It's possible that…my prophecy is related to your story."

Road stuck her tongue out at Lavi. "See? I told you I was telling the truth!"

Lavi shrugged. "That's not really truth at all. For all I know, it could be related to whatever the hell you're hiding from us."

"I'm not hiding anything from you, you stupid book-head!"

"Oh, book-head, like I haven't heard that one before. Wait." He scratched his head. "Maybe I really _haven't _heard that one before…"

"I think I'll go back to sleep now…" Hevlaska's voice echoed.

"Listen, do you want me to freaking kill you or something?" Road shouted." Because you're really starting to get on my nerves!"

"I just want the true story from you…shortie."

"That's it," She pushed up her nonexistent sleeves. "I am _so_ gonna beat you up…ah!" She tripped on a wire and stumbled onto Lavi.

"What're you-mmmph!"

A loud knock echoed through the room. "Hello? Lavi, Road? It's me Johnny!" Johnny walked into the room. "I just want you guys to know that-" He spotted Lavi and Road on the floor and blushed a deep red. "Oh _snap_! Lavi…I had no idea…"

Lavi quickly pushed Road, who had a shocked look on her face, off of him. "Don't get the wrong idea, Johnny!" Lavi yelled. "It was a complete and total accident!"

"Um, yeah, right." Johnny avoided looking at Lavi. "I mean, it's not like I have any problems if you have a loli complex…"

Lavi blushed a deep red. "It. Was. An. ACCIDENT!!" Lavi shouted. "Like hell I'd like girls like Road! You _know_ I only chase after older women!"

"But what about when she woke up?" Johnny asked nervously. "And right now it looked like you were pretty into-"

"Shut up already!" Lavi wiped his lips. "…It was my first kiss…" He muttered.

"Pfft!" Johnny laughed. "Are you serious!? You're eighteen and you're first kiss was with _Road_!? Not to mention that you said it was an accident, so technically, you've never been kissed by a girl!"

"Shaddap! Bookman says that I shouldn't be tempted by things like alcohol or women." Lavi protested. "He says that interferes with my duty as the successor to Bookman."

"So then, why do you still chase after women?" Johnny pointed out.

Lavi opened his mouth to explain, when a loud groaning sound came from behind him. It was Road. "Urrrgh…" She groaned. "Must…burn…lips…off…"

"Aw, come on!" Lavi said, "Surely it wasn't so bad that you'd want to burn your lips off!"

Road considered his words for a second. "You're right…acid works much better!"

"Do I really taste that bad…?" Lavi wondered.

"Um, Lavi?" Johnny snickered. "Whatever happened to you _not_ secretly having a loli complex?"

Lavi glared evilly at Johnny. "Exactly why are you here again?"

"Why? Did you want to spend more time…" He started laughing hysterically. "Did you want to spend more time making out with Road!?"

Lavi pulled out his hammer. "Just hurry up and tell us what you came here for." He said menacingly.

"Well…alright." Johnny wiped his eyes. "It's just that Komui wanted to see you two. Apparently you guys have a mission."

"Why didn't you say so?" Lavi said. He started walking off. "Oh, and Johnny?"

"Yes?"

"If you ever tell anyone about what just happened in here," He threatened. "I'll kill you."

"Uhm…" He laughed nervously. "There's a communication that's been flapping around here for a while already. I'm pretty sure that by now, everyone knows about your loli, I mean, 'accident'."

"Great…" Lavi muttered as he left the room. "That old panda's gonna kill me…"

Johnny looked at Road, who was picking herself up slowly. "Um, Road?" Johnny asked. "Are you okay? Do you need any help getting to Komui's office?"

Road waved her hand in the air. "No, that's fine. I know how to get there. Of course…" An evil smile crept up on Road's face. "You can help me by giving me a knife and that pervert's head."

"Eh heh heh…no."

"Oh, okay then." She shuffled her way out of the room. "Later then."

--

When Lavi and Road entered Komui's office, they were greeted by a huge bout of laughter. "Lavi! I can't believe you had such a loli complex!" Komui said in-between laughter. "I mean, it looked like you were _enjoying_ that 'accident' of yours!"

Lavi and Road tried punching Komui, who shielded himself with his clipboard. "Komui…" They said simultaneously. "Shut up."

"Are you sure you don't want to see the recording?" Komui offered.

"NO!!"

Komui winced at the loudness of their voices. "Fine then, you don't have to be so loud…" He gestured towards the seats in front of his desk. "Sit please, I have a mission to assign to you."

Road and Lavi obeyed. "So, Komui." Lavi said. "What's this mission you're giving me?"

"You?" Komui asked. "Actually, this mission is for the both of you."

"WHAT!?" Road and Lavi both yelled. "You can't seriously expect me to work with _him_/_her_!?"

"Geez…again with the loudness…" Komui sighed. "Hear me out before you start yelling your heads off."

"I just want to know why you're sending someone who can't even activate her Innocence yet on a mission." Lavi said.

"Well, I know that we shouldn't send an untrained exorcist onto the field."

"Not an exorcist." Road interrupted. "I've already said that before."

"Well, okay. I shouldn't send someone who's untrained on a mission." Komui continued. "But me and Hevlaska have this theory that if Road can experience those feelings she had when fighting Akuma again, then maybe it would become easier for her to invocate whenever she wanted. Besides," Komui took a sip of coffee. "We're kinda shorthanded at the moment on exorcists. Everyone else is out on missions, and I'd send Kanda instead, but his Mugen's broken. So that leaves me with you two."

"Has Kanda even told you who broke his Mugen yet?" Lavi asked.

Komui shook his head. "No. He just says a moyashi broke it. I think Lenalee doesn't want to give us the actual name of the person who broke Kanda's Mugen…"

"Would you just tell us the mission already so I can get away from this pervert already?" Road complained. "I'm bored to death here!"

Komui sighed. "Well, if you insist." He looked the two of them in the eye. "There have been rumors of Innocence that's probably in a small town in Germany. But though I say that, probably, it probably might not be there, so don't get your hopes up, because it's probably. It's definitely not definitely, it's probably. Well we think it's probably there, probably."

"Okay, we get it with the probably." Lavi interrupted.

"Well, how should I say this? The Innocence is in a Rewinding Town. By that, I mean the time and space there stops at a certain day, and that day is repeated over and over again. The investigation began based on the evidence of a merchant in the neighboring town who delivers to this town's liquor store. On October 9th, about the time Lenalee brought Road here, the merchant received a call asking for ten barrels of rose wine for the 10th to be delivered there. The next day, the merchant went to drop off his goods. But no matter how many times the merchant tried to get into the town through the front gate, he always somehow ended up back on the outside. Getting sick of it, the merchant went home and tried to call the liquor store, but his calls wouldn't go through.

"Since then, he has gotten phone calls asking for ten barrels of rose wine to be delivered on the 10th every day at the same time. By the way, the merchant has been hospitalized for neurosis. We'd like to check it out, but our Finders can't get into the town. Based on that information, we believe that there may be Innocence in that town, and if it is Innocence, then possibly an Innocence host can enter the town. That is your mission, investigate the town and retrieve the Innocence. That is all."

"Whew, that was long!" Road stretched out her arms. "Let's go, pervert boy!"

"Wait a minute." Lavi grabbed her arm. "Why are you so into this mission?"

"Because." She grinned. "This mission forces you to accept my story." She took her arm away from Lavi. "Let's go already, the more time we spend here, the more time we waste!"

Lavi watched her run out of the office. "Hey, Komui." Lavi said once he couldn't see Road anymore. "There's another reason you want Road out of Headquarters, isn't there?"

"Of course you can see there's another reason, successor to Bookman." Komui said quietly. "The truth is, in a couple of days, Inspector Rouvelier will be sent by the Vatican to check up on us. And I don't want Road near this place when he comes."

"You want to keep her safe, don't you?" Lavi asked.

"I want to keep her from being tried for heresy." Komui answered. "If anyone from the Vatican, _especially_ Rouvelier, hears Road's story, she'll instantly be branded a heretic until she admits the truth. I prefer to get her to tell the truth _my_ way."

"Your way?" Lavi questioned. "You don't have a way. You're just pretty much letting Road do whatever she wants."

Komui smiled. "That _is_ my way. My main priority is to keep the exorcists safe. And even if Miss Kamelot refuses to say she is one, in my eyes, she is still an exorcist, a comrade, in my eyes. If she wants to tell the truth or keep it to herself, then let her." He put his hand on Lavi's shoulder. "Lavi, keep her safe."

Lavi nodded. "I will, don't worry about it Komui."

"Come ooooonnn Bookman Jr.!" Road's voice said through a golem. "What's taking you so long!?"

"Well I better not keep our princess waiting." Lavi said sarcastically. "See you, supervisor." He ran out of the room.

Komui waved. "See you, Lavi."


	18. The 14th Memory

**I told you guys it might take a while for the next chapter to come out. Because my computer time has been cut down to almost nothing, this story will probably be updated weekly. Of course, I'll try to write a chapter if I can get to the computer, but my mom usually hogs it during the weekdays…**

**The Rewinding Town arc officially begins with this chapter! I don't think it'll be four chapters long like the last few, since it took me one chapter to do one manga chapter. Oh well, I guess it can't be helped…**

**Road's weapon…anyone got any ideas for a melee and ranged weapon? All I can think of is a candle sword thing, but that's stupid…and I want to have a gun-like thing like Allen's, but that would be copying…gah, I can't think. Ideas plz, otherwise I'll be slower when I have to write Road's weapon.**

**I am asking you people who read the author's notes a favor. You see, I don't think Ephemeral Sorrows really fits this story as a title, and I'm thinking of changing it. I also want you people's opinion on the new summary, since I didn't think the old one really fit the tone. You'll get a cookie if you help!**

**Sorry about the long author's notes. Wait…this sentence just makes it longer…eheh heh heh…**

**Disclaimer****: Hoshino Katsura owns D. Gray-Man.**

* * *

**The 14****th**** Memory: Rewind**

_A different thing happened "today"._ Miranda Lotto was pinned to an alley wall, a large claw keeping her in place. _It seems that I'll be killed. If I remember correctly, after this, I should have been drenched with muddy water by a coach before going back home to sleep. So…what is this monster?_

The "monster" kept its hold on Miranda. "Where is the Innocence?" It asked.

_If I'm about to be killed…does that mean today wasn't "today"? I…_

"Oy, why don't you release that lady?" A red haired boy dressed in a black robe stepped out of the shadows. He grinned. "What's up, Akuma-chan?" He pulled out a hammer. "Big hammer, small hammer…"

_It looks like another new thing has appeared. The black clothed one is also different from "today"._

"Grow, grow, grow!" The hammer grew ten times its size. The boy jumped at the Akuma.

"_Today's" events are steadily changing._ Miranda backed away from the fight. _I did it…_Lavi smashed into the Akuma with his hammer, destroying it. Miranda quickly dashed away from the scene._ I must've escaped "today"!_

Lavi turned around. "Now lady, about that Innocence the Akuma was talking about…eh?" He blinked. "Where'd she go?"

--

Miranda grasped tightly at her newspaper, her brain refusing to absorb what it said at the top. _Again…October 9__th__'s newspaper. The same articles, the same horoscope corner._

_The same snow laden sky._

Miranda stared shakily at the grandfather clock behind her. _Five minutes before eight…3…2…1…_

"Dear!" A loud voice said from across Miranda's walls. "I can't believe you went out with that whore again!!"

"I knew it." Miranda muttered to herself. She went over to the window and looked across to the window next door. A middle-aged woman was strangling her husband, her husband's head dangling out the window.

"Someone like you should just fall out the window and die!" The housewife shouted.

"I-I'm sorry, dear…" The husband tried to say.

Miranda crept back into her apartment. _The same fight between the couple next door…_ She slumped to the floor. _October 9__th__ has come again!_ She started sobbing, tears streaming out of her eyes. "It's…it's the 30th time now…" She whined miserably. The grandfather clock behind her started ringing. _Dong…dong…_ Miranda wiped away the tears in her eyes and pulled out a handkerchief. She walked over to the clock and started polishing it. "Thank you, are you comforting me?" Miranda asked the clock, "Now let's polish you up…"

_Tick._

--

"Aah, the unlucky lady came!" Miranda stepped out of the building only to come across a bunch of loud kids. The boy who spoke raised his had. "Take that!" He threw a handful of dung at Miranda, who dodged swiftly. "Eeek! She dodged it!"

"Hn," Miranda scoffed, "When I've had poop thrown at me with the same thing thirty times, of course I'd remember it."

"Huh?" The boy said, "What're you talking about, this is the first time I've thrown crap at you!"

"Peter," One of the other kids said, "If you talk to Miranda, you'll get infected with bad luck!" The group of kids gathered around Miranda, making rude faces at her. "Miranda, Miranda, bad luck Miranda," they sang, "You're not popular, you're too dark, you're too slow. Looking for a job again today? You'll just be fired anyway!" Miranda glared at the kids. "Kyaaa! It's the unlucky beam!" They ran away. "She's gonna shoot out her bad luck at us!"

"Those damn brats…" _Right now, I am on the 30__th__ October 9__th__. The town acts as if it's October 9__th__ today too. Everybody is repeating the same thing, and with the exception of me, no one has realized this abnormality. Nothing will change…not one thing…_

Suddenly, something caught Miranda's eye. A figure in a black robe walking in the streets. Miranda stared in shock as the black-robed figure walked away. "That's…that's the person who appeared in yesterday's 'today'." Miranda said to herself. "That's right… My October 9th was 'I should have been drenched by muddy water by a passing coach before going back home to sleep'… But only yesterday's night of October 9th wasn't like that…all of a sudden, that person and the monster appeared, and the events changed…"

"Who is that person!?" she ran after the figure. "Wait a second!!"

"Achoo!" Lavi wiped his nose. "Geez…why did I just sneeze?"

Road, who was sitting across from him, shrugged. "How should I know, maybe you're just stupid?"

"What does that have to do with anything!?" Lavi retaliated. Road and Lavi were sitting in a café, eating a small meal of pancakes and tea. A couple booths behind them was a woman who seemed to be hiding her face.

"Well…you were stupid enough to let that woman go." Road pointed enough. "And I've heard that stupidity can lead to random sicknesses."

"You just made that up, didn't you?" Lavi sighed. "Well, you didn't see her. She ran away _really_ fast this person. By the time I noticed she was gone…well, she was gone!"

Miranda moved a booth closer to the two of them. _I-It's a boy…I wonder…what's up with that eye-patch?_

"Lavi, you idiot." Road shook her head. "Honestly, if I knew that you were going to screw up so early in the game, I would've tagged along with you to make sure you actually did your job."

"You were the one who suggested splitting up in the first place!" Lavi pointed out.

"And your point is…?"

"Ugh, never mind…"

"So Lavi," Road put a couple packets of sugar in her tea. "Are you sure that Akuma you exterminated last night said Innocence to that lady?"

"Yup!" Lavi said cheerfully. "I got lost, strayed into an alleyway, and found them by chance! I must've been pretty lucky yesterday."

Road took a sip of her tea. "What're you talking about? You're the future successor to Bookman, and Bookmen don't get lost."

"Weeelll…" Lavi grinned. "I actually saw this really cute girl, and I tried to follow her, but I ended up losing her and wandered into that alleyway."

Road looked at Lavi blankly. "You really are a little pervert, aren't you?"

"Hey, she was really cute!" Lavi took a bite out of his pancakes. "So anyways…how'd things go for you?"

Road sighed. "It looked like that Komui guy was right. After we split up, I tried to leave the town through the front gates, but before I even realized it, I somehow ended up back inside the town. I tried breaking down a part of the town's wall to leave too, but that wouldn't work either. I thought I'd end up outside through the hole, but I returned to the same spot inside the town." She downed the rest of her tea. "So, I guess we're stuck inside this town until we can find the Innocence."

"Ah, right. But wait," Lavi scratched his head. "Exactly how did you bust a hole in the wall if you can't activate your Innocence?"

"Oh, well, about that…" She giggled nervously. "I sorta…hijacked a car and crashed it in the wall."

Lavi spat out the tea he was drinking. "You what!?"

"It was no big deal!" Road said, "All that happened was that the car burst into flames and I fled the area before the cops could arrive!"

"That is a big deal you idiot!" Lavi shouted.

Road stuck her tongue out. "Better an idiot than a perv!"

Lavi slammed his hand on the table. "I told you before! I AM NOT A P-eh?" A gaunt face was staring at Lavi from behind Road. "Ah ahh!" He leapt up from the table. "It's that person, Road! The one from the alleyway!"

Road turned around. "Ack, it's that creepy clock lady!"

Miranda jumped back in shock. "I-I'm sorry!!" She tried to escape, but Lavi took a hold of her dress.

"Don't run away…" Lavi muttered, "We're exorcists…"

"E-exorcists?" Miranda said in-between breaths.

"Yes…so why are you running away? And though the window too…"

Miranda scratched her head. "I'm sorry…it's sort of a reflex to me…"

_Ring, ring._ The barman answered the phone. "Hello? This is Berulini's Liquor Store. I'd like to order ten barrels of rose wind for tomorrow, the 10th."

Miranda sat down across from Lavi and Road. "I-I'm Miranda Lotto. I'm happy to meet other people that have noticed that this town's gone strange…fufufu…" she laughed darkly. "No matter who I talked to about it, I was only made fun of. Really, it was so tough that I almost wanted to commit suicide. Ah, but now I'm able to dodge poop pretty well."

_This person looks really worn out._ Road and Lavi thought.

"Eh, Miranda," Lavi said, "You have had your memories ever since this town became abnormal, right?"

Miranda nodded. "Yes, it seems like every one of the villagers forget yesterday's October 9th. I'm the only one…" She grabbed Road's hands with an insane look in her eyes. "Hey, help me, help me! If I stay like this I'll get neurosis! Yesterday, your friend saved me from that weird thing, right!? So since you helped me, help me more!!"

"Ack, get off of me!" Road whined. "Fine, fine! We'll help you, so how about you so how about we all look for the cause!?"

"If I knew the cause I wouldn't be stuck on October 9th!" Miranda shouted.

"Something must've happened on the real October 9th." Lavi said, "Do you know of anything unusual that happened on that day?"

"Would you let go of me already!?" Road glanced to the side. "Ulp." Road fell to the ground, clasping her left eye. "Heh heh…damn…"

"Road?" Lavi asked, "Are you okay?"

"Oy, perv." Road said quietly. "Take Miranda with you and leave this store right now. With your extending hammer, you can slip away from these Akuma and take her to her house, right?"

"Akuma…?" Lavi slapped his head. "Oh right, you can see them, can't you?"

Road nodded. "Apparently, the guys in here are also different from the other villagers. They've been so ever since they've laid eyes on Miranda here." Road took her hand off of her eye, revealing the blood that was steadily pouring out of the scars. "The reason Miranda here is different from the other villagers, is probably because she was in contact with the Innocence."

The other patrons in the store stood up. "Hey, Road, are you sure you'll be able to fight?" Lavi asked.

Road nodded. "Of course I'll be able to fight. After all…" The other patrons' skin fell to the ground, revealing three level two Akuma. "The sight of these guys makes me wanna puke."

"Aaaaaaaagh!" Miranda screamed. Lavi grabbed her and took out his hammer.

"Big hammer, small hammer, extend, extend, extend!" Lavi grabbed Miranda and escaped through the roof.

"What, do you think you can fight us all by yourself, exorcist?" One of the level twos said.

Road grinned. "Of course I can loser." The level two shot at Road, who gracefully jumped over the attack and landed on top of its head. She held out her left arm. "Innocence…activate!!"

Nothing happened.

--

A figure in a lavish suit stood outside of the city walls. "So this is the Rewinding Town, huh? Doesn't look like much…" He tipped his top hat as he put his hand on the invisible force field surrounding the city. Sparks flew as he bypassed the wall. He took off his hat and brushed the dust off his suit. A couple of black butterflies fluttered around him as he looked around the city.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Tyki Mikk, at your service."


	19. The 15th Memory

**Woot! A non-weekend chapter update! Yes…I managed to hijack the computer long enough to write a chapter, so…here you go!**

**Really people, I need suggestions for Road's weapon, NOW. The next chapter will have Road's weapon in it, so I need a design! I don't really need a function, but just the form Road's arm manifests in. Though it can't be like Allen's arm because then I'd be unoriginal…I'm still also accepting new story titles.**

**Ugh, I feel sick…seriously, my throat feels weird and my head hurts slightly…oh what do you care? As long as I continue to update, I can stay sick for all you care, right!? Jerks…I'm just kidding by the way. The jerks part, not the sickness part.**

**High school sucks…**

**Disclaimer****: I bought Vol. 10 of DGM the other day, and it came with a freaking NARUTO sticker. I thought it'd be DGM related…oh well, Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto, and DGM belongs to Katsura Hoshino…who I believe is a girl.**

* * *

**The 15****th**** Memory: Pause**

Road was crying. Tears streamed down her eyes, her sobs echoing against the walls. She felt so empty, like she would never be cheerful again. A warm hand grasped her shoulder. "Don't cry, Road, he wouldn't want you to feel like this."

Road bit her lip, her salty tears dripping down to the floor. "B-but…he's dead. He's dead. That means he's not coming back, right? Right!?"

The owner of the hand shook her head. "Just because he's dead, doesn't mean that you should spend your entire life grieving for him. He would've wanted you to move on, to get past your sorrows.

Road hit her hand away. "No! I can't just forget about him! I can't…" She clenched her fists. "It's my fault."

"What do you mean, Road?" the woman asked.

"It's my fault he's dead!" Road cried out, tears in her eyes. "I killed him…it's my fault he's dead…"

The woman embraced Road. "Don't say that, you had nothing to do with his death."

"You weren't there." Road said quietly. "You didn't see…you didn't see what I did…"

"Then tell me." The woman looked Road in the eye. "Tell your mother what happened."

"But mother…" Road whispered. "If I told you, I might end up killing you too."

--

"What was that!?" A shrill female voice called out. "The humans turned into…into monsters! They even attacked yesterday!"

"Eh…what's going on?" Road arose from Miranda's bed, wiping her eyes. "How'd I get here? I thought I was fighting those Akuma…"

Lavi walked up behind her. "Oh, you're awake. I thought you might've been out of it longer."

"Oy, perv, what happened?"

"P-perv!?" Lavi sighed. "Geez, I am _so_ tired of getting called that. Ah well." Lavi pulled up a chair. "After I dropped Miranda off here, I went back to help you. And when I got there, you were almost dead."

"Almost dead? What do you mean almost dead!?" Road shouted.

"I meant that you were unconscious and those Akuma were about to kill you. If they weren't playing rock-paper-scissors at the time," he smiled. "You'd be nothing but dust by now."

Road kicked him. "How could you say that with a smile?"

"I just can." Lavi gave Road a serious look. "But really, what happened back there, Road? You told me you would be able to fight, that you'd be able to activate your Innocence."

"I thought I could, but I didn't." Road stretched out her arms. "Does it really matter? You destroyed them already, right?"

"It matters a lot, Road." Lavi said darkly. "You're nothing but a liability on this mission if you can't activate your Innocence. After all, Innocence is an Exorcist's greatest weapon."

"I never said I was an Exorcist." Road muttered. "I said I'd fight alongside you guys, but that's it. I will never call myself an Exorcist."

"I don't really care what you call yourself, just figure out how to use your Innocence." Lavi stood up. "Before those Akuma attack again."

"Again?" Road questioned, "Didn't you take care of them?"

Lavi shook his head. "Before I was able to fight, this weird voice came out of nowhere and told the Akuma to retreat. If it wasn't weird enough that a voice can come from thin air, those Akuma actually _listened _to the voice."

"Wait…whose voice was it?"

Lavi shrugged. "How should I know, some guy's?"

"Guy…" Road pondered, "Maybe…no, but in place of me…Allen? Hmm…"

"Uh, Road, what're you muttering about?" Lavi asked.

Road quickly stood up. "Oh, was I muttering? You were just hearing…the clock lady! Yeah…" Road furrowed her brow. "Exactly what _is _she doing anyway?"

"What, Mira-chan?" He glanced at Miranda. "Well ever since I dropped her off here she's been having a nervous breakdown…" He put his hand on Miranda's shoulder. "Hey, Mira-chan, I think that maybe you should calm down a little."

"CALM DOWN!?" Miranda shouted. "How could I calm down when-" _Snap._ A small key broke off from Miranda's necklace and skittered across the floor. "Oh no!" Miranda dived furiously down to the floor and grabbed the key.

"Hey," Lavi said, after he calmed down from Miranda's outburst. "Isn't that a mainspring?" He glanced at the grandfather clock in the side of the room. "Is it for that clock over there?"

Miranda picked herself up off the ground, clutching the key to her chest. "Y-you probably think that I look stupid, holding on to this key so preciously…"

"That's not true." Lavi said, "You have important memories with it, right?"

"Memories…ha, as if any of _my_ memories are good…" Miranda sighed. "No matter what they do, there are some people who just aren't good enough. I'm that sort of person…ever since I was a child, I always saw the backs of my classmates. Everyone else could do anything better than me, and they moved along smoothly forward. Even when I became an adult, I, as usual, always had to change jobs…" She shook her head. "No matter what kind of job I had, I always messed up and ended up getting fired…"

"Miranda…"

"You know, I've never been given a 'thank you,' since I've never been useful to anyone. I wanted someone to say 'thank you' and recognize me…It was at that time, when I came across an old clock that was discarded at an old secondhand store.

"_The previous shopkeeper picked it up from somewhere." The store owner said, "It's a pretty clock, but the screw won't turn, so it won't work. If you really think I'm lying, give it a try." He handed Miranda the key._

"A clock that was being thrown away for being useless. Somehow…somehow I saw myself in it."

_Miranda inserted the clock key into the slot, and turned it. The clock started ringing._

"_It worked!" The store owner exclaimed, "The clock worked! No one else could make it move!" He turned to Miranda. "Buy it!"_

"An old clock that no one else could get to work, the sound of its bells echoed in my heart. I felt as if I, who was never good enough, had finally been recognized." She started sobbing. "Just look how pathetic I am, having to buy a clock just to feel appreciated, to feel needed." She started polishing the clock. "And now there's these monsters…what did I do to deserve this?"

"Um, Mira-chan?" Lavi said, "Are you okay?"

"I…I can't do anything!" Miranda shouted. "You people hold amazing powers, don't you!? Then hurry up and save this town!"

"Shut up." Road knelt down in front of Miranda. "Look at you, a grown woman asking a couple of kids to help you."

"Road-"

Road held her hand up, signifying Lavi to be quiet. "Listen here, you, this is _your_ town, not ours. So whatever the hell is wrong with it is something you have to help fix. After all, the town's strangeness is connected to you."

"M-me?" Miranda stuttered. "B-but why me?"

"Because, you're the host for the clock's In-"

_Dong._ Miranda stiffened.

"Mira-chan?" Miranda walked silently to her bed, and started sleeping. "You're going to bed!?" Lavi exclaimed.

"Hey…Lavi…"

Lavi turned around. "What-" He widened his eyes. "What the…" Clocks of many shapes covered the room's walls. The ominous chimes of the grandfather clock resonated throughout the town as Lavi and Road stared at their surroundings. "What's going on!?"

"Lavi, it's that clock!" Road went over to the window. "Those clock things are all over town!"

_Tick_..._tick_…_tick…tick-tick-tick-_

"Road, the hands!" Lavi exclaimed, "The hands of the clock are turning backwards!" The clock needles were spinning relentlessly, as if there was a tornado inside of it. The clocks that spread across the town conjugated around the grandfather clock, and were sucked in. The wind threatened to suck Road and Lavi in, if Lavi wasn't holding onto the window. Lavi extended his hand. "Road, grab on to me!"

"Do I have to?" Road whined. "I don't really have to touch-"

"JUST GRAB MY DAMN HAND, ROAD!!" Lavi shouted. Road grudgingly obeyed him, and not a second too late. The force of the wind escalated to a fierce gust that nearly lifted Road off of her feet.

Road noticed one of the clocks, which had an image engraved in it. An image of the past. "Lavi…this clock is sucking back today's time…"

_Kochi._ The last of the clocks was sucked into the grandfather clock. Rays of sunlight swept over the town. "Whaaaat!?" Lavi said, surprised, "It's morning already!?"

Miranda got up from the bed behind them. "Huh…since when did I get to bed?"

"M-Miranda…" Lavi and Road's eyes twitched "You're saying you didn't notice any of that?"

Miranda shook her head. "I didn't notice anything? Why, is the town fixed!?"

Road sighed. "You wish it was." She walked over to the clock. "Here, take a look…"

"Um…what are you-OHMYGOD!!"

Road was inside of the clock, her arms were sticking out of the sides, and her head at the top. "Look, I'm a human clock!"

Miranda fell to the floor. "M-my clock…"

"Settle down, geez…" Road stepped out of the clock. "You see, we're unable to touch this clock, just now I tried to touch it but look." Road put her hand into the clock, only to have it come out above her arm in reverse. "Apparently the only one who can touch this clock is its owner, Miranda."

"Just what are you saying, Road?" Lavi asked.

"Do I really have to explain everything to you? It should be obvious." Road sighed. "This clock has the power to rewind time, and Clock Lady can touch it, while we can't. Figure it out."

"Are you saying that this thing's the Innocence, and Miranda is the host!?" Lavi turned to Miranda. "Hey, Mira-chan, if you really are the host, is there anything that happened on the real October 9th?"

"Nothing much…" Miranda said quietly. "Just that I've been fired from my 100th job. As expected, when my unemployment rate had reached triple digits, my sentiments were one. I kinda drank all my wine…so it's a little hazy so…" Miranda scratched her head thoughtfully "I think I wished that tomorrow would never come."

"Isn't that…" Lavi slammed his hands on a table. "That's it! The Innocence granted Mira-chan's desire!"

"B-but I was just complaining…" Miranda stuttered, "Besides, why would my clock do that…?"

"You're the Innocence's host, duh." Road said flatly. "The clock synchronized with you and granted your wish." Road grinned. "Why don't you try stopping this weirdness?"

Miranda put her hands on the clock. "Clock, oh clock. Turn time back to its original place now…"

Lavi ran to the door and grabbed the newspaper. He looked at the date. "October…9th…"

"I…see…"

"Why don't we try thinking this over one more time, huh Mira-chan?"

_Three days later, the 34__th__ October 9__th__._

"Yes, welcome, welcome!" Miranda was dressed up as a witch and was handing out flyers to everyone. Lavi was wearing a pumpkin head behind her and was trying to juggle. Trying, but not really succeeding. "Pieter Theater's horror play, "The Pumpkin and the Witch," is today's public performance! How about a ticket?"

"Good job, good job!" A fat mustachioed man stepped next to the two. "Good you two, ticket sales are looking promising! If you keep this up, I'll hire you full time!"

"Really?" Miranda asked.

"Yeah, so why don't you two take a break for now?"

"Thanks." Lavi put down the balls he was jugging and sat down behind an alleyway. "Phew, who knew juggling balls could be so hard?"

"Certainly not you." Road stepped out of the shadows. "So, how're things going, pervy?"

Lavi opened his mouth to protest, but then decided it wasn't worth it. "So, Road, you said you wanted to talk, right?"

Road nodded. "Damn straight I do. It's about my story."

Lavi groaned. "Not that again, I told you before, show me some proof and _then_ I'll believe you."

Road gestured to the town. "Isn't this place proof enough, redhead?" Road asked. "Look around, this town is solid proof that time and space can be manipulated and bended to a persons will. If Innocence can bend time, so can Dark Matter."

"I still don't believe you." Lavi said quietly.

"Why not!?"

"Because," Lavi started, "The Innocence isn't turning back the clock, only trapping a period of time. Think of it this way, the Innocence is keeping this town inside a bubble, and the bubble can't be popped. Inside of the bubble is a tape recorder, recording every moment that has passed and replaying it over and over again. It can't capture time that has already passed, And-" He held up his hand to stop Road from interrupting. "Even if time that has already passed could be captured, it can only be around a small area, not to mention that it's also temporary. You say that Allen was able to reverse time to around this period, but that's impossible. If he did that, he'd have to capture the entire planet's, no, the entire _universe's_ time and keep it in place without interrupting. That would put an immense strain on Allen, so much strain that he'd die in seconds." He sighed. "And that's the obvious reason why your story is false."

"Hmph," Road said "The only thing false around here is your smile."

"How'd you-"

"WHAT'D YOU SAY!!"

"Mira-chan!" Lavi ran over to the theater area and saw Miranda sprawled out on the ground, the theater owner hovering over her.

"The money we've raised has been _stolen_!? You stupid idiot!!"

Lavi ran over to Miranda. "Mira-chan, what happened?"

"L-Lavi, I'm sorry…" Miranda sobbed, "While I was selling ticket to another customer…he just…he…"

"Miranda, did you see what the pickpocket looked like?" Lavi asked.

Miranda nodded. "It was a man…a man with a light brown coat and long hair…he ran that way…"

"Don't worry, I'll find him." Lavi took off in the direction Miranda was pointing at.

"L-Lavi…" She looked up at the theater owner, tears streaming down her face.

"Useless."

_I knew it…_ Miranda grasped at the hem of her dress. _In the end, no matter what I do, I'm always no good. In spite of that…I keep trying…like a fool…_

_No more…_

"Why is it always me that's like this…?" Miranda cried. "Why does my clock have to be the Innocence!?" A shadow fell over her. "Why me…?"

"So your clock is the Innocence." A man's voice said.

Miranda looked up, and felt a black butterfly land on her hand. "W-who are you?"

The man smiled. "I'm Tyki Mikk, and I'm here to play a little game with your Exorcist friends."

"What're you…aah!" A sharp stab of pain stung her hands. The butterflies were eating holes through her hand, blood splattering across the pavement. "Wh-what are these things!?"

Tyki patted Miranda's head. "They're called Tease, and they're here to kill silly humans like you." He flicked his fingers up, and several more Tease came from his hands and bit Miranda's. They carried her up, forcing Miranda to gasp out in pain. "Although I'm gonna let you live for a bit, since I need you for my special little game."

"W-what game?"

Tyki grinned evilly. "The game of death."

"T-Tyki…"

"Eh? Who's that?" Tyki turned around.

Road was standing behind him, her arms reaching out to him. "Tyki…is that you?"

Tyki cocked his head. "And who might you be, girl?"

"I-I'm Road…Road Kamelot…your…sister…"

"Sister?" Tyki scratched his head. "I don't get it, you're an Exorcist, aren't you? I'm pretty sure I don't have any Exorcist sisters…" He grinned. "But if you wanna play, then, hey, let's play!" Tyki raised his hand and a large Tease came out in the form of a shining gauntlet. He charged at Road.

"_Hey, hey," _A voice said from thin air. _"Isn't this a bit unfair?"_

Tyki stopped. "Who's there? Are you that other Exorcist?"

"_Heh…you wish…"_ A large dimensional rift opened up in front of Road. A deformed hand came out of it, beckoning Tyki to come in. _"Why don't we play your game in here, Tyki? I've already collected your Akuma and the other Exorcist."_

"What are you doing!?" Road shouted. "I thought you said you were out of power!"

"_Oh…heh heh, I lied." _A small beam of energy went though Road, knocking her unconscious.

"Who are you?" Tyki asked. "You don't look like an agent of God."

"_I'm not."_ The voice said. _"Just call me 'divine intervention,' I can't let my host be killed by you, after all."_ The hand motioned Tyki to come inside the rift. _"Come in, I promise you'll have a good time!"_

Tyki pondered over it for a second. "Can I bring this skinny lady and her Innocence too?"

"_Ha ha…sure, why not? The clock's here anyway. And don't worry, once you're in here, I won't mess up your little game."_

"Fine, it's a deal." Tyki stepped into the rift, Miranda trailing behind him.

"_Heh heh…this should be fun…" _The rift closed itself up, leaving nothing but a single Tease in the Rewinding Town.


	20. The 16th Memory

**RAWR. I'm still alive. And what's even more surprising is that I've used my lifespan to finally update this fic! It's been like…more than three months since I last updated this thing. Wow…I'm such a jerk, aren't I? But seriously, it's been a long time since I've even thought about this fic, because I haven't really though about writing at all in the past few months. I guess you could call it lazy adolescent syndrome or procrastination or something.**

**I'm trying to gather all my thoughts for this story, so if the plot in this chapter is inconsistent with the previous chapters, let me know so I can fix it. My idea for Road's past keeps changing too, not to mention the major mood swings (I'll just blame that on Road being emotionally unstable and Allen being…whatever he is) I'll be lucky if this chapter turns out to be any good at all, since I was just crashing through it.**

**Before I planned to get Allen to explain exactly what he is and what's going on so the plot would have less loose ends that needed to be tied up, but instead, I just made the plot even more confusing with even more loose ends! Hooray. It's just that I didn't find a good place to insert that in, since it flowed a lot better the way this chapter ended.**

**And by the way, that thing Allen was doing to Road (you'll know it when you read it…and no, it doesn't involve mass amounts of blood), I wrote it that way intentionally just to screw with your minds. If you really want to know exactly what he did to her, ask me and I'll PM you. And tell me what you thought he was doing to her too.**

**There's now also a new poll on my profile for what the next chapter should be about. The poll about the name of this fic will still open too (I'll put it back to my profile once the next chapter's out), and the title will be whatever has the highest amount of votes. Review too, since the button is remarkably bigger, you have no excuse now.  
**

**This author's note is way too long…dontkillmeplz.**

**Disclaimer****: DGM belongs to Hoshino Katsura. Who is once again, sick. We all wish for a speedy recovery for you! (At least…I do.)

* * *

****The 16****th**** Memory: Frame-by-frame**

Road Kamelot was dead. Her mangled body was spread across the floor, crimson blood staining the walls and floor. Road's last scream was etched on her face as her body was frozen in a final pose of terror. Her bloody hands were reaching towards the door, never to reach what lies beyond. Her eyes gave away a look of emptiness, her shadowed vision clouded by her previous tears. A slim mechanical skeleton eased its way on top of the fallen girl.

"Why…why couldn't you have been stronger…?" The Akuma skeleton cried.

A plump shadow materialized over the Akuma skeleton. "Fufufu… :3 Don't worry my little Akuma. :3 She's not dead because of her actions, she's dead because of yours! :3" The Millennium Earl raised his umbrella. "Now, Akuma, I command you to wear this girl's skin as your own! :3"

"Yes…master…" The Akuma skeleton raised the blades that were its arms, and brought it down on the girl's body, cutting a large slit through Road's chest. Blood splattered onto the Akuma skeleton's face, dripping down from its eyes like tears. A sickening squelching sound filled the air as the skeleton inserted its body into Road's chest, integrating the human skin with the dark matter of the Akuma. When the skeleton was fully inside of Road's body, she sat up and her skin stitched itself together. A faded pentacle formed on Road's forehead.

"Transformation complete! :3" The Earl said joyfully. "A new Akuma is born! :3 :3"

The Akuma in Road's body turned towards the Earl. Blood was running down her face. She raised her finger and pointed at the Earl. "You…"

"Eh? :3" The Earl tilted his head. "Are you…talking, my little Akuma? :3"

"You…" _Ka-chik._ A gun barrel extended from Road's arm, pointing at the Earl. "You killed me you bastard…" She fired repeatedly, gunfire echoing throughout the building. "You killed and tricked me you smiling freak!" She stopped firing. "You made me think I could bring him back to life…" Road fell to the ground, tears in her eyes. "Made me think I could atone for my sins…"

A cold blade pressed against the back of Road's neck. "How is it," the Earl said quietly, "That you have a free will?"

Road lifted her head. "How should I know? I thought I was dead…"

She turned around to face the Earl. The Earl's eyes widened from behind his spectacles as he lowered his sword. "That mark… :3" He used his fingers to trace the marking on Road's forehead. "So…it's finally time for the curtain to begin falling on the prelude of this play. :3 :3" He grinned as his fingers left the cross on Road's forehead. "Stigmata…"

Road grabbed the Earl's throat. "Are you done yet? I'm really starting to get pissed off."

The Earl's face melted away. "What, you have a problem with your birth as a Noah?" Allen slid away from Road's grasp. "Is it so hard to remember your old body, your old emotions?"

"Yeah, pretty much." Road stood up and wiped the blood off her face. "I know how I awakened as a Noah, it's the single painful memory I can't forcefully repress. So is it really necessary to make me re-live something I already remember?"

"Not really, I just wanted to give you a refresher course." Allen raised his hand lazily and a dark portal appeared behind him. "So, Miss Kamelot, are you ready to see some more of your memories?"

"No," Road scoffed, "Instead, why don't tell me exactly what the hell you're trying to pull by bringing me back into this psycho dimension of yours. I mean, don't you think it's kinda repetitive?"

Allen shrugged. "It's only repetitive if you choose to believe it's repetitive. And since I choose to believe it's not repetitive, then in my own little world where I choose not to be repetitive I'm not repetitive. And since the world we're standing in right now is technically my world, then I am one-hundred percent that I'm _not_ repetitive in any way."

"But you said this was my world and that you were just living in it, so if it's my world and I believe you're repetitive, then you're repetitive." Road responded.

"Oh…" Allen grinned sheepishly. "So you _were_ paying attention."

"Of course I was." Road muttered, "It's not like I had anything better to do."

"So repairing the skewed void of time isn't considered important then?" He stroked Road's cheek. "You'd rather listen to my words then go back to your family? I'm touched."

Road slapped his hand away. "Enough." She muttered darkly.

"Enough with what?" Allen asked scathingly.

Road leapt towards him and tackled him to the ground. "Quit screwing around with me!" Road yelled. "I'm sick and tired of your word games and riddles, just tell me what the hell is going on and what exactly the hell it is you are so I can get the hell out of this place and go back home!"

Allen smiled. "Should an exorcist, a servant of God, really be using the word 'hell' so many times in the same sentence?"

Road pulled back her hand.

_Slap._

"Oh…" Allen shifted his head to make eye-contact with the girl on top of him. "It looks like the lioness has some claws after all."

_Slap._

"And they're quite sharp too." Allen smiled innocently. "Are you into S+M or something?"

Road put her fingers to his eyes. "Tell me what the hell you're trying to do or so help me I'll pluck out your eyeballs and shove them down your disgusting little throat while you scream."

"Hmm…that'll be a problem since I can't feel pain. I have a better idea." He sank into the ground.

"Wha-?"

Allen knocked and pinned Road to the ground. "How about you do the screaming instead. That'd work out quite nicely, don't you think." He flipped Road over, so she was facing him. "Of course…I don't have to pluck your eyeballs out to get you to scream. After all, I've already made you go though the intense pain of having knifes shoved through you already." He smirked. "After all, there are other ways to make girls scream, especially if it's their first…" He used one hand to keep Road pinned, and the other to rip off Road's left sleeve.

"What are you trying to do you bastard!?" Road yelled.

"Eh heh heh…" He moved his hand over Road's. "You know, having this cross embedded in your hand isn't totally unattractive. It's actually quite fitting, after all, you are a child of God that has fallen from his grace, and now you walk the path of the devil only to be put back on the ethereal path once more."

"Ah…!" She started trembling. "Uhm…stop…" She gasped for air. "What are you talking about?"

"You know what I'm talking about." Allen said evilly. "I'm referring to your past, the reason why the Innocence didn't outright kill you even though you aren't rightfully its host. The memory that not only you rejected but also the memory that the Noah inside of you rejected. The single strand of fate that links you and Allen Walker in ways other than the basic ties between an Exorcist and a Noah." He pushed back a lock of Road's hair.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Road said quietly.

"I think you do." Allen lowered his voice. "Remember who you were asking the Earl to bring back from the dead? The one who saved you from the Akuma that killed your friend Kryst?"

Road's eyes widened. "No…shut up…" She started squirming. "Don't say another word!" She cried out fearfully.

He bent his head closer towards Road's ear and whispered.

"Traece."

A tear streamed down from Road's eyes. Her arm twitched.

"Get off of me!!!" She broke free from his grip and swiped at him with her left hand. Allen artfully backed away.

"Come to think of it," He said, "Traece and Allen are the same type of people right? Isn't that the reason you're repulsed and attracted to Allen at the same time?"

"Shut up!" She charged towards Allen, her arm convulsing and twitching. She attempted to punch him, but he grabbed her arm and twisted it behind her back. He grabbed her leg and pulled it out from underneath her, pinning her back to the ground.

"What?" Allen said sadistically, "Do you think you could take me without a weapon? Or perhaps you wish to die."

"I only wish for you to die for making me remember that." Road spat out.

"The use your Innocence and kill me. Simple as that."

"But I can't…"

"You can't? Or you won't?" Allen asked cryptically. "The dark matter within you is too weak for the Innocence to do anything to you, and your synchronization rate is high enough for a successful invocation, so by all means you should have the power to fight."

"I just can't!!!" Road shouted.

He tightened his grip on her arm. "Why can't you then?"

"Because!" Road's voice softened. "Because…I'm afraid…"

"Of what?"

"Of what might happen after I synchronize. What if the Earl rejects me because I synchronized willingly with the weapon of our accursed God? What if I fail to invocate the Innocence and turn into a Fallen One? What if I _do_ properly synchronize with the Innocence and my family discovers that I was meant to…" Her voice trailed off.

"And if you don't try invocating your Innocence, what happens then?" He pulled Road's head up. "You die. You die and lose all chances you have of going back to where you belong. So right now you have a choice. Activate your Innocence and fight, or wallow in your own self-pity and despair and die. Which is it going to be?"

"I…I want to…"

"_Which is it going to be?_"

"I want to go home! That's all I want…"

"Then fight. Use the Innocence and fight for your life in hopes that you can restore balance to this time and reality. Fight and live while you can so you have no regrets when you die." He opened a portal beneath Road.

"Wait…" Road muttered. "If I have to live a life filled with that kind of suffering, then what's so bad about death?"

Allen paused. He looked away from her. "That is not something I have an answer to. You have to find your own answer to that question. But if I had to guess…" He smiled. "You're human. And humans have an addiction to life that's hard to break. Even the humans who know there's another life ahead of this one." He dropped her into the portal. Road slipped through it.

"Now go, go and make your choice."

Allen watched as the portal in front of him closed. "Damn…I'm really using a whole lot of my power just to keep that girl alive." The dimension around him started dissolving slowly. "I can barely maintain the dimension I'm sending Road to. Not to mention I was trying to loop time in that other dimension…" He started coughing violently and fell to the ground. "At least…I don't have to keep this dimension intact anymore…" His breathing became labored as the endless void started to consume him. "That girl has better make her choice and resolve this quickly. Otherwise…" He closed his eyes.

"Heh…I guess I'll have to make a temporary sacrifice if I want to continue existing in her dream world…"


End file.
